Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts has stated that the WNBA's transgender eligibility policy is a matter for the league office to handle, a stance he shared Tuesday night following criticism from basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
Barkley, a former Phoenix Suns star, recently voiced his disappointment with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for not addressing the transgender athlete issue earlier. When asked by OutKick about Barkley's comments before the Mercury's game against the Washington Mystics, Tibbetts replied, "Yeah, I’m going to leave that to the league office. That’s their job. We’re here to play a basketball game here tonight."
The WNBA's current collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA," but it does not contain specific language addressing the eligibility of players who were assigned male at birth and identify as female. This has led to public discussion and debate.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has previously commented on the issue, denouncing what she described as attempts to "sow divisiveness." She stated earlier this month that "People are trying to use the league to sow divisiveness," adding that "We're being the center of political football for people who have never watched the WNBA, never have written about the WNBA or reported on the WNBA."
The league's approach to transgender eligibility has drawn attention, with some individuals, including former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, having declared intentions to enter the WNBA Draft. Supporters of transgender athletes have also made their presence known outside WNBA games.
