Royce White made headlines when the former NBA hooper announced his intention to become a WNBA player. However, not everyone is thrilled.
Amid the slew of WNBA athletes and officials either signaling their willingness to accept males into their league or keeping silent for fear of political retribution online or physical violence on the floor (looking at you, Caitlin Clark), two former NBA players – Royce White and Enes Kanter – have announced their intention to join the WNBA.
Some online, however, have become enraged by White and Kanter’s declarations and are letting their feelings be known.
In an interview with influencer Benny Johnson, White says some have taken to threatening him.
“The pushback has been unprecedented for me. I’ve never received so much hate,” White explained.
White, a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, says he plans to pursue admission into the WNBA until the league makes a “definitive” statement that men are not allowed.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has announced that the league will hold discussions to determine what a woman is, and what exact type of “woman” may be eligible to become a WNBA player.
“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention,” Engelbert wrote in a statement.
The commissioner said the league would “always approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league.”
While the league’s collective bargaining agreement makes it clear that only women are allowed to play, it does not include language on gender identity or sex assigned at birth.
On Monday, Enes Kanter took to X to officially declare for the WNBA draft.