Former NBA player Royce White has publicly stated his well-known fear of flying is not a true phobia but rather a manifestation of a "transgender trapped inside of me." White, who is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, made these remarks on his podcast, "Free People Radio." He suggested that individuals who believe they are claustrophobic may actually be experiencing an internal transgender identity.
White's comments follow his announcement that he plans to enter the 2027 WNBA draft as a transgender player. This move mirrors a similar declaration made by former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who officially declared for the draft on Monday.
White was seen wearing a wig during the podcast interview and had previously posted a photo of himself in a wig on X, referring to it as his "feminine era." He elaborated on his theory, stating, "I think there are plenty of people out there who have a transgender trapped deep down inside of them, and so they think they’re claustrophobic. . . . Not really claustrophobic. It’s the transgender that’s trapped."
This controversy escalated over the weekend when White engaged in an argument on X with former NBA player Robin Lopez. Lopez had commented that he couldn't "imagine anybody wants Enes Kanter or Royce White around them for 4 minutes."
Royce White's history includes a reported fear of flying in 2012, which he stated at the time magnified his anxiety disorder. Selected 16th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, White appeared in only three NBA games during his professional basketball career.