Former NBA player Royce White has declared for the WNBA Draft, stating he is now a woman and seeking to join the league next season. White, who played three games in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings, is the second former NBA player to declare for the draft, following Enes Kanter Freedom.
White, also a candidate for the Republican Senate nomination in Minnesota, posted a photo of himself wearing a wig on social media, captioning it, "It came y'all... my 1st wig! Tomorrow I test it on the court. This is my feminine era glow up, did I slay? If y'all don't "yassss queen" you're transphobic. I really don't understand all the hatred, I just want to play some hoops with my fellow ladies."
This development comes as the WNBA navigates discussions around transgender inclusion. Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham recently expressed a desire to "protect young girls" from "biological men," a stance that has drawn both support and protest. Conversely, Golden State Valkyries star Gabby Williams stated she would welcome a transgender player to her team, while Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Trans Kids Belong" t-shirt.
White, 35, told Fox News Digital that he is "sometimes identifying as a transgender woman" and believes it is "only fair" he gets a chance to play in the WNBA. He stated he has "always trusted the science and thought I was a man my entire life" but has since re-evaluated.
When discussing his WNBA aspirations, White emphasized his physical attributes, noting he is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 260 pounds, with large hands that were noted during the NBA Draft combine. He expressed his intention to be dominant in the WNBA. He also indicated he would use the women's locker room if he joins the league, stating he does not want to be discriminated against.
The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA," but it lacks specific language regarding gender identity or sex assigned at birth. White stated that only a definitive statement from the WNBA about players with male biological characteristics would stop him. He also vowed to wear a wig while playing and suggested WNBA players would have "nightmares" about him potentially competing against them.
Enes Kanter Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, also announced his intention to declare for the WNBA Draft on Friday. Freedom stands at 6 feet 10 inches tall.
White shared some of the negative reactions he has received since declaring, including apparent death threats and insults. He stated that he has "great respect for the skill of women's basketball" but believes there is a "significant difference between biological men and women" and that he plans to "exploit that for my economic and athletic benefit."