Caitlyn Jenner Backs Ex-NBA Players’ WNBA Draft Plans, Calls League “Hypocritical”

Caitlyn Jenner is weighing in on the increasingly heated debate over transgender athletes in the WNBA, and she’s throwing her support behind two former NBA players who say they’re planning to enter the league’s draft.

“XX are in, XY are out. It’s that simple,” Jenner told Fox News, arguing that women’s sports need to be protected. She also suggested the former NBA players’ moves are exposing what she views as “contradictions” and the “hypocrisy” in the league’s approach to the issue. The former Olympic gold medalist, who transitioned in 2015, has repeatedly argued against allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports since her transition.

Enes Kanter Freedom, who spent 11 seasons in the NBA, announced earlier this month that he intended to declare for the WNBA Draft as a protest over the debate. He officially declared in mid-August, signing his papers while wearing a shirt reading “Invest in women. Pay women. Hire women.” Former NBA player Royce White announced his own intention to pursue the 2027 WNBA Draft, saying he identifies as transgender for the purposes of professional basketball.

The moves have been widely viewed as political statements aimed at testing how the WNBA would handle its eligibility rules. The WNBA has said there are currently no eligibility issues involving transgender athletes and has condemned what it described as bad-faith efforts to demean or marginalize people. No transgender woman has played in the league. The comments come as the WNBA finds itself at the center of a growing debate that began after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham publicly spoke about her opposition to transgender women competing in women’s sports.