Royce White filed a notice for the 2027 WNBA Draft on Monday, and Matt Gaetz signed the document before it was sent to the WNBA League office. White told News Digital that he would be declaring for the draft and wrote in the notice, “As of signing this declaration, I identify as a transgender woman.”
The notice asks the league for written confirmation of receipt within ten business days and a written eligibility determination at the league’s earliest opportunity. It also ties White’s filing to Article XIII, Section 1(a) and Article XIII, Section 1(b)(i) of the 2026–2033 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the WNBA and the WNBPA.
Matt Gaetz signs notice
Gaetz, acting as White’s legal counsel, wrote that White “identifies as a transgender woman” and “affirms her eligibility to be considered for selection on that basis.” The notice also says White will be at least twenty-two years of age during the calendar year of the Draft and has no remaining intercollegiate eligibility.
White said in a statement to Digital, “FBA Trans Lesbains matter and we have a right to exist. We have a right to be included and follow our dreams. Thank you to all the Americans that are supporting me, it does not go unnoticed,” adding a direct appeal that kept the filing in plain view rather than leaving it buried in paperwork. The declaration puts the league on notice to answer on eligibility, not just receipt.
Article XIII and eligibility
The notice cites two parts of Article XIII of the 2026–2033 Collective Bargaining Agreement. One section addresses eligibility on the basis White invoked in the filing, while the other covers age and remaining intercollegiate eligibility. White’s request is for a written league determination, with the basis for any decision included.
White also told News Digital on Aug. 7, “I'm transgender. I'm a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I'll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well,” and added, “I think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about guys with a pair of balls playing in the Women’s Association.” That language sits alongside his written claim of transgender identity, a combination that puts the notice into a narrow and unusual part of the league’s rules.
WNBA League response
Digital reached out to the WNBA for a response to White’s declaration. The notice itself asks for written confirmation within ten business days, which sets the immediate expectation for the league’s next move.
White also said, “Oh, no, I’m declaring. And I don’t want to be discriminated against. I want fair treatment. I’m a young Black, hopefully United States Senator that would like a fair chance to participate as a sometimes-identifying-as-a-transgender-woman athlete.” Enes Kanter is also listed in the background as a former NBA player who announced a WNBA Draft declaration, but White’s filing is the one now before the league.
Mike Rogers lunged at Matt Gaetz in House vote is unrelated to the draft filing, but the same name appears in White’s notice as the lawyer who signed it. For White, the practical next step is simple: the league can answer the receipt request and then decide whether the declaration meets the rule language he cited.
