Royce White has responded sharply to Montrezl Harrell after the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year criticized White and Enes Kanter Freedom’s campaign against the WNBA’s eligibility rules.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson reported Thursday that White responded by text after Harrell described the former NBA players’ actions as “corny and lame” during an interview with Robinson.
Harrell, who has described himself as an avid WNBA fan, criticized White and Kanter Freedom for using publicity stunts to promote their message. Both former NBA players declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft in August, saying they identify as women and challenging the league’s eligibility rules.
“I don’t entertain that, to be honest with you. That stuff is corny and lame. I’m an actual WNBA fan,” Harrell said. “For guys like that to use their platform to disrespect it, that’s corny. I’m not a fan of it at all.”
White subsequently dismissed Harrell’s criticism in explicit terms, arguing that the issue has already been discussed publicly and that conventional advocacy has not produced the response he believes is necessary.
“This is how b*tches talk… ‘It’s not what you’re saying, it’s how you’re saying it.’ Find a more ‘politically correct’ way to tell me the truth,” White said, using an additional racial slur in his response. “It’s funny saying ‘use your words’ like this hasn’t already been a discussion for a while. Why hasn’t he ever spoken on it or ‘used his words’ since he gets it?”
White has maintained that his actions are intended to challenge the WNBA’s policies rather than simply generate attention.
On August 24, the WNBA ruled both White and Kanter Freedom ineligible for the 2027 draft. League sources characterized their declarations as publicity stunts and said the WNBA would not “give oxygen to efforts designed to mock the league.”
White attended an Indiana Fever-Connecticut Sun game wearing a blonde wig after the league rejected the draft declarations. Kanter Freedom was previously ejected from an Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game after a confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud while wearing a shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”
Harrell argued that the message could be communicated without targeting or embarrassing players and other people involved with the league.
“I know what you’re trying to say about men not playing with women, but just use your words as a grown man,” Harrell said. “Don’t try to berate women.”
The dispute comes as the WNBA faces questions over how its eligibility rules apply to the draft. The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that the league is restricted to women, but the WNBA has not publicly provided a detailed definition of “woman” in response to the controversy.
Kanter Freedom has filed a lawsuit against the WNBA over his exclusion from the draft. A scheduling conference in that case is set for December 8 before U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo.
White also indicated that his legal team is preparing for a potential legal battle with the WNBA. Meanwhile, Representative Marlin Stutzman sent WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert a letter on September 17 asking the league to clarify its definition of women for eligibility purposes.
