A single sentence in a collectively bargained document has turned into the WNBA's biggest offseason storyline. Now, the office of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is right in the middle of an issue that commentator Stephen A. Smith claims never should have happened.

He talked about the issue on his YouTube channel, Stephen A. Smith Sports.

"It's too damn late. It's too damn late. If your rules were more finite and clear, you wouldn't have to have a meeting of team presidents and general managers. You're the commissioner; you should already know," Smith said on his YouTube show, Stephen A. Smith Sports.

Smith criticized Engelbert’s memo to WNBA teams about the task force of presidents and general managers for examining the eligibility rules of transgender athletes because they were prompted after two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, stated their desire to join the 2027 WNBA draft.

The debate is more rooted than even the task force. Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham openly backed restrictions on trans athletes in women’s sports earlier this month, which led to protests in favor of and against her views at various road games.

Smith did not stop there by criticizing the timing of the league’s response either.

"Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA. So one could easily surmise, okay, you're a woman, that makes you eligible. If you're not a woman, you're not eligible. It's simple and plain," Smith said on the same broadcast.

The statements brought out a real weakness that exists in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, where it only says that women are the only ones who are eligible, but there is no definition of the term.

And it is precisely that loophole within the rulebook that has spurred the broader conversation throughout the league.

A WNBA League Navigating Uncharted Territory

The controversy arises where policy meets public opinion, and now Engelbert must find her way between both.

In her memo to the teams, she made it clear that the eligibility rules are negotiated collectively, so any changes to them cannot be made without negotiating with the Women's National Basketball Players Association.

The WNBPA has already publicly responded to this, saying that while they will not be treated like political pawns during this discussion, they are committed to their principles of diversity.

It becomes even more difficult because of the timing, seeing that the league just broke its all-time attendance mark for an All-Star Game in 2026.

Engelbert had not spoken about the issue publicly since her press conference during the All-Star weekend on July 25 in Chicago.

With the task force meeting taking place next week, as well as listening sessions for the team leaders, there is going to be a long process until any official policy changes take place.

Is Stephen A. Smith correct in saying the WNBA did not act quickly enough? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta