Former NBA player Royce White has officially declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft, submitting his declaration notice to the league office. The notice, signed by White’s legal counsel, former U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz, states that White identifies as a transgender woman.
The declaration cites Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the 2026–2033 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the WNBA and the WNBPA, affirming White’s eligibility for selection on this basis. The notice also confirms White will be at least 22 years old during the draft year and has no remaining intercollegiate eligibility, consistent with Article XIII, Section 1(b)(i) of the agreement.
White’s declaration follows a previous announcement on August 7, where he stated his intention to enter the draft, hours after fellow former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom made a similar announcement. White has indicated he would pursue legal action for discrimination if he is not drafted or signed to a team.
During his college career at Iowa State in the 2011-12 season, White led the Cyclones in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. He was a 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft but played only nine minutes across three games for the Sacramento Kings, never scoring a point.
White recently lost a primary bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota on August 11, finishing behind former Michele Tafoya. This followed his 2024 general election defeat where he won the Republican nomination but lost to incumbent Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar.
The declarations by White and Freedom have intensified the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports. This discussion has been further fueled by Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham’s public stance in July supporting the protection of women’s sports from biological males, leading to rallies both for and against her position at Fever games.
