WNBA commissioner tells House that former NBA players are ineligible as they are men

The WNBA responded to a September request from Rep. Marlin Stutzman and four GOP lawmakers concerning player eligibility, safety and fan conduct. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert wrote on Oct. 16 that the two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, are ineligible because they are men, without offering a definition of "women" from the league’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement. The letter also defended the league’s officiating procedures and its code of conduct for spectators, noting that officials review games and may upgrade fouls after the fact.

Lawmakers welcomed the clarification as a step toward defining gender for sports, while Freedom criticized the lack of a clear policy and called the statement a misgendering. The issue follows earlier internal discussions about transgender participation and recent public comments from players on the topic.