Royce White Vows Legal Action Against WNBA After Ineligibility Ruling

Former NBA player Royce White stated his intention to explore legal options against the WNBA following WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's declaration to Congress that White and Enes Kanter Freedom are ineligible to play due to being men.

White indicated to OutKick that Engelbert's statement does not resolve his challenge to the league's eligibility standards and called for the WNBA to clarify its definitions of men and women.

"We plan to explore every legal avenue possible to hold the WNBA and NBA community to their stated standards and values," White said. He did not provide specifics on potential legal filings or a timeline.

The WNBA collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." The agreement does not contain language specifying gender identity or sex assigned at birth, according to Front Office Sports.

In a letter dated October 16, Engelbert responded to Republican lawmakers, stating, "With respect to your questions regarding eligibility, only women are eligible to play in the WNBA and the individuals you cite in your letter are both men." Engelbert's response did not offer a definition of "women" or outline the criteria used to classify White and Freedom as men.

White's pursuit stems from his and Freedom's announced intentions to enter the 2027 WNBA draft after declaring they identify as women. White confirmed that his declaration was "for basketball purposes."

White expressed his desire for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to comment on the matter, stating, "I’d like Adam Silver and the NBA to weigh in."

The league had previously communicated its stance on the eligibility of White and Freedom through statements attributed to league sources in August. White described himself as a long-time supporter of women's basketball and expressed a desire for the sport to be less politicized.

"I’m a fan of the WNBA. I think the women have come a long way," White said. "I’d love to see it not as politicized as it is, because I think it takes away from the beauty of the game."

White also mentioned he has been watching WNBA Finals games and is considering attending some, citing security concerns for specific game attendance. He referred to his actions as "scoping the competition."