Former NBA player Royce White sat courtside in a blonde wig at an Indiana Fever game against the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis. The 35-year-old attended the game as part of his ongoing attempt to enter the WNBA Draft.
White referred to himself as 'Roysha' during the public display, which occurred days after his ally Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected and banned from a WNBA arena during a similar protest.
In video footage filmed by media outlet OutKick, White was seen walking to his seat. "The Queen has arrived. All hail. Bow to the Queen, Roysha," White said. He later shared a photo of his courtside seat on social media under the name 'Roysha'.
When asked why he attended the game, White told OutKick: "Well, first of all, black trans lesbians matter. We've always mattered. We've always existed. We have a right to exist and we have a right to be included and participate. And that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to participate, and scout some of the competition as well."
During the game, White was also pictured speaking courtside with anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines.
League Response and Ineligibility Ruling
The WNBA has reportedly declared both White and Kanter Freedom ineligible to enter the draft. According to Front Office Sports, league officials described their declarations as "publicity stunts" and stated that the league is "not going to give oxygen to efforts designed to mock the league or use this topic to demean and marginalize others."
Both White and Kanter Freedom began attending Indiana Fever games featuring star guard Caitlin Clark after her teammate Sophie Cunningham sparked debate over transgender athlete policies. Cunningham drew public attention after stating her desire to "protect young girls" in an interview, prompting both former NBA players to claim they identify as women to challenge the league's rules.
Chicago Ejection of Enes Kanter Freedom
White's appearance in Indianapolis followed an incident last weekend involving Kanter Freedom at a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky in Chicago. Kanter Freedom sat courtside wearing a t-shirt defining the word woman. The shirt read, "Woman. Noun. Adult human female," with the words "woman" and "female" highlighted in red.
After getting into a verbal altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud, Kanter Freedom was ejected from the arena. Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter subsequently banned Kanter Freedom from Wintrust Arena, stating that he displayed "potential to be a threat" during the incident.
WNBA Players React to Protests
The behavior of both former NBA players has drawn strong criticism from figures within women's basketball. Five-time WNBA All-Star Angel McCoughtry condemned their actions in an interview with TMZ.
"You guys are coming with the shirts. There's no transgender in the WNBA," McCoughtry told TMZ. "So y'all are going on a frenzy about what? What is the obsession with this? Why can't we play and have fun?"
McCoughtry added that current NBA players support the women's game constructively. "Real NBA players, they don't have time for that," she said. "They come and support our game and we figure out ways we can create and grow. What, are you about to come to L.A. next and do it or go to New York next and do it? So yeah, you should be banned. And then to prove a point. That we don't have time for that and we're not tolerating that kind of behavior. Leave us alone."
McCoughtry noted that there are currently no active transgender players in the league. "There's not an active trans player in the WNBA. Why y'all keep coming at us? It has nothing to do with us right now. If it happened, then have the conversation. It's not happening," McCoughtry said.
Background and Career History
White was selected 16th overall by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. However, he played in just three NBA games, appearing for the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He later played in Canada for the London Lightning until 2018, eight years before launching his WNBA draft bid.
The WNBA, founded in 1996, is the primary professional women's basketball league in North America. League eligibility guidelines have become a central topic of discussion across sports media during the 2026 season following statements by players and public protests by outside figures.
