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WNBPA emphasizes inclusion amidst focus on transgender athletes
ESPN ^ | August 7, 2026 | Katie Barnes

Posted on 08/07/2026 10:20:00 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

The Women's National Basketball Players Association released a statement on Friday, emphasizing diversity and inclusion while saying the organization "will not be used as political pawns."

"We embrace justice equity, diversity, and inclusion," the statement read. "Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women's sports while creating transformational change. Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns."

Though not mentioned by name, the WNBPA's statement comes 17 days after Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's comments about transgender athletes in women's sports were published in a profile on ESPN.

"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" she told ESPN. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."

Cunningham's comments immediately became political fodder. The Department of Education posted a meme on X of Cunningham pointing. President Donald Trump has spoken about the issue, and Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that he would encourage Cunningham to "keep speaking her mind."

Multiple WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.

(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: 2ndpeter2vvs6thru9; basketball; deuteronomy22verse5; dragqueen; dragqueenstoryhour; genesischapter19; godlessreprobates; homosexualagenda; lgbt; lgbtq; luke17vvs26thru32; pridemonth; prideparades; romans1vvs24thru28; sodomandgomorrah; trannytrannytranny; trans; transgender
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1 posted on 08/07/2026 10:20:00 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican
while saying the organization "will not be used as political pawns."

Setting the stage for rejecting Enes as not being "real" trans.

2 posted on 08/07/2026 10:29:42 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (First, I was a clinger, then deplorable, now I'm garbage. Feel the love? )
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To: MinorityRepublican
Royce White declares for WNBA draft too.
Fox News on X.

EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA first-round pick Royce White says he's declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming he now identifies as transgender for the purpose of playing professional basketball.

The 6-foot-8 former Houston Rockets draft pick follows fellow former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who announced his own plans to declare amid the growing debate over transgender athletes in women's sports.

White told Fox News Digital he believes he'd be “unstoppable” in the WNBA and suggested he could pursue legal action if denied an opportunity to play.

White said the move is meant to challenge the WNBA to clearly define its eligibility rules for transgender athletes, saying: “I'd like to know what the parameters are.”

https://x.com/i/status/2085913583502680126

3 posted on 08/07/2026 10:34:47 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: MinorityRepublican
Clay Travis:

Now that @EnesFreedom announced he's a woman & entering the draft @wnba has three options, all bad for them. 1. Deny he's a woman. (Which means they know what a woman is.) 2. Admit men to league. 3. Announce only those born as women are eligible. Which path? Checkmate.

https://x.com/i/status/2085861910608564453

4 posted on 08/07/2026 10:56:01 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: NonValueAdded
Setting the stage for rejecting Enes as not being "real" trans.

Exactly. We will say one thing, and do the other. LOL!

5 posted on 08/07/2026 10:57:54 PM PDT by Right_Wing_Madman
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To: SmokingJoe

There is a 4th option. They’ll tell all team owners that they are in no certain words NOT ALLOWED to draft either of these ex-NBA players. They won’t give a reason. It’ll just not happen. The draft will come and go, all the real women will get drafted, (and maybe a token trans or two), but these 2 guys will be ignored.


6 posted on 08/07/2026 11:05:29 PM PDT by FrankRizzo890
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To: NonValueAdded

And setting the stage for a Federal lawsuit on discrimination! Game, set, match…..


7 posted on 08/07/2026 11:07:19 PM PDT by Lockbox (politicians, they all seemed like game show host to me.... Sting)
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(transgender people)

("TRANSGENDER")

"TRANSGENDER" 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️🤦

There is NO SUCH THING as a "TRANSGENDER" HUMAN
ANYWHERE on the face of the ENTIRE EARTH 🌎🌏🌍




8 posted on 08/07/2026 11:26:16 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Check his junk! Make him prove he has an innie!


9 posted on 08/07/2026 11:30:41 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Will the incoming WNBA male players be WNBPA members?

I hope all this foolishness is turning sensible Democrats toward Republicans or at least Indys.


10 posted on 08/07/2026 11:38:32 PM PDT by citizen (All Bush-era RINOs have got to be primaried out.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I hope to see a 6-10 former D1 player for a major university, decide to become a trans female and actually play in the WNBA, once that person totally dominates and puts up Wilt Chamberlain numbers, the inclusivity of the WNBA will quickly change to we need to only allow biological females.


11 posted on 08/08/2026 12:13:15 AM PDT by srmanuel ( )
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To: MinorityRepublican

But we will not be used as political pawns

Yes you will...that’s all you are for the most part.

Can’t wait for “trans” guys to elevate the level of play, just to see y’all suckin wind...LOL


12 posted on 08/08/2026 1:51:10 AM PDT by Adder ("A pack of jackasses led by a lion is superior to a pack of lions led by a jackass.” GW.)
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To: citizen

Wait until these new ladies stroll in to the old ladies’ locker room. The hens will be clucking!


13 posted on 08/08/2026 3:23:07 AM PDT by Kudsman (4728)
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To: NonValueAdded

Fake girls get mad because other boys now want to also be fake girls. Make it make sense. What a hoot.


14 posted on 08/08/2026 3:39:27 AM PDT by Kudsman (4728)
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To: NonValueAdded

Means they will have to define what trans is, that will be interesting 😂

They Can’t define what a woman is😂😂😂


15 posted on 08/08/2026 3:40:11 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: Lockbox

Indeed
Amazing how they will
Allow the destruction of women all for their allegiance to leftism


16 posted on 08/08/2026 3:41:53 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: srmanuel

Have said for years that a WNBA owner should hire all “trans” and then watch the left squirm as they have to celebrate this team destroying every other team by 50 points and win it all easily

Reminds me of the women’s national soccer team being destroyed by teenage boys and old men😂😂😂


17 posted on 08/08/2026 3:44:19 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: MinorityRepublican

18 posted on 08/08/2026 4:19:32 AM PDT by DFG
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To: Kudsman

IMO trans are narcissists who want the attention for being special. Once the “special “ wears off they will be onto the next fad.


19 posted on 08/08/2026 5:00:19 AM PDT by griswold3 (Truth, Beauty and Goodness)
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To: NonValueAdded
Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people [except for Caitlin Clark], including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm.

But we will not be used as political pawns. Too late, by nearly 30 years..

20 posted on 08/08/2026 5:43:06 AM PDT by Thommas (The snout of the camel is already under the tent.)
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