It’s been a wild time for the Women's National Basketball Association. I can’t lie, the league had not really been on my radar in the past, but with the advent of superstar Caitlin Clark and all the hype and hysteria surrounding her, the league started to make headlines.

Then along came Indiana Fever star forward Sophie Cunningham, who had the temerity to suggest that maybe only women should play in women’s leagues, and the whole story exploded. Things got even crazier when two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared for the WNBA draft, and the internet blew up.

The WNBA denied their right to play in their league, without really explaining why. Then Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced she was stepping down at the end of the year. 

The league is definitely putting on a show; it's just not the one they meant to.

Now five GOP members of Congress are demanding the Association address a few simple questions that should be easy enough to answer: why do they practice selective punishment, and how exactly do they define “a woman?”

Recommended
Talarico in Trouble? Some Ill Winds Are Blowing in His Direction Jennifer Oliver O'Connell Holdout Clancy Juror Breaks Silence. What He Says About 'Activist' Jurors Makes Them Look Worse. Kyle Becker

First, they addressed the inconsistent manner in which the league enforces conduct among its players, coaches, and fans. They referred to an incident we wrote about in August when Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington clotheslined Sophie Cunningham in an obvious display of intimidation, violence, and yes, racism.

For this shocking display, Carrington was punished with… nothing (except a flagrant foul, ooh). The five representatives, Marlin Stutzman (IN-3), Sheri Biggs (SC-3), Erin Houchin (IN-9), John Rose (TN-6), and Zach Nunn (IA-3), want to know why:

The most blatant example of your failure to keep players safe came two weeks after you sent your response to our first letter. On August 8, 2026, the Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington clotheslined the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham during a game and then proceeded to post “WHITE PRIVILEGE” after being ejected.¹ Neither your WNBA League Basketball Operations nor WNBA Referee Operations in the post-game review process assessed a suspension or other disciplinary measures outside of a standard fine for a Flagrant 2 foul. Four days later, on August 12, Carrington did the same thing to the Golden State Valkyries’ Tiffany Hayes, yet no excessive or flagrant foul was assessed on this second offence. To this day, there have been no repercussions for her continued endangerment of your players.

That’s not all they want to know. Why were Kanter and White denied an opportunity to suit up when they’ve declared themselves as women? I thought that, by your standards, all you had to do was say you’re one and you magically are?

In a particularly ludicrous moment for the league, the top brass met in August to discuss that very issue, and came away with… nothing. They couldn’t even answer that basic question. What a clown show.

The congresspeople want answers to four questions, and they want them by October 16.

What actions has the WNBA taken since our previous letter to address unnecessary physical hostility and violence between players on the court, particularly when it is habitual?

Do you have a uniform policy for addressing players and coaches that instigate verbal confrontations with fans? How do you explain the difference in repercussions assessed between Keaton and Cloud?

How does the WNBA define “women” for purposes of Article XIII, Section 1(a) of its collective bargaining agreement?

If the WNBA has no definition of “women,” why were Freedom and White deemed ineligible to join the 2027 WNBA draft?

 Stutzman, the author of the bill, has criticized the league before:

This is what the @WNBA has turned into:

🏀 Players gambling on themselves and the league encouraging it.

🏀 Making children cry at games over posters supporting their favorite player.

🏀 Condoning media personalities going after Caitlin Clark because she isn’t defending the league enough for these decisions.

…and that’s just this week…

I’d trust Joe Biden to run this league better than Cathy Engelbert.

Kanter Freedom, Royce White, and now these five representatives are doing the right thing — challenging the league to back up their silly woke statements or admit they’re full of it. The Association’s trying to have it both ways has turned the already troubled league into a laughingstock.

And they deserve it.