The WNBA have been savaged for their response to two former NBA players declaring themselves for the league’s 2027 Draft after an email on the subject was leaked.

Both Enes Kanter and Royce White decided to test the league’s vague transgender policy by trying to be drafted by a WNBA franchise. The announcements sparked plenty of debate online.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has since responded to the news, confirming that discussions are still ongoing about whether transgender athletes should be able to compete in women’s basketball.

The Debate Over Transgender Athletes in the WNBA

Credit: Royce White Instagram

The situation began with Kanter and White taking to social media to announce their intention to become WNBA players. Kanter said: “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”

They also added that their team has carefully examined the league’s eligibility criteria and governing framework, whilst attempting to shut down any speculation that this is a stunt. “I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices,” they said.

Meanwhile, White has also been active on social media, tweeting: “I haven’t even been publicly trans for 72 hours, and I’m already getting so much hate.”

Since then, Engelbert has addressed the ongoing discussions over the issue, with a memo recently sent to the teams. She said:

“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention.”

The memo also said the topic will be discussed further with a task force of team presidents and general managers now scheduled for a meeting next week.

Florida Governor Mocks WNBA’s Response to Transgender Controversy

Among those to criticize the league for their reaction was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Unable to believe that officials hadn’t taken a stronger stance, he took to social media, where he said: “WNBA meeting to decide whether 2+2=4 or 2+2=5.”

DeSantis ran against US President Donald Trump during the 2024 primaries, where the debate over transgender policy in sports was discussed at length.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham initially sparked the controversy by criticizing the idea of transgender athletes in the WNBA. However, after that spurred so much debate, she recently said: “I’m going to let people just do the speaking for themselves, but for me, I want to get back to basketball.”

Newcastle United have lost their captain and talisman in Bruno Guimaraes, and their primary focus for the rest of this summer must be to ensure they source an adequate replacement — Angelo Stiller fits the bill.

Guimaraes ended his four-and-a-half-year love affair with the Magpies on Saturday, signing for Arsenal in a £75 million deal. The Brazilian had been the beating heart of Eddie Howe’s iteration of the Tynesiders, and he leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the park at St. James’ Park.

While Newcastle are unlikely to replace Guimaraes with a player of similar calibre, there are certainly intriguing options on the market for them to explore.

Aladji Bamba, 20, and Seun Steur, 19, have arrived from Monaco and Ajax respectively, but neither is ready to take the mantle from Guimaraes. The north-east outfit need a more experienced option, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has been heavily linked with a switch, isn’t the right man.

Newcastle Must Sign Angelo Stiller Over Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Hojbjerg is a well-rounded and experienced figure who would certainly help fill the void left by Guimaraes. That said, the Dane just turned 31 and hasn’t played at the top level since 2024, suggesting he’s already on the decline.

The former Tottenham midfielder would be a safe, but unspectacular, move. If Newcastle have aspirations of getting back into Europe next term, they’ve got to take more of a risk and invest in someone more adventurous.

Newcastle have made contact over a deal to bring Stiller to St James’ Park,, and this is a deal Magpies supporters should be excited about. Described by football analyst Ben Mattinson as being an ‘exceptional half-space crosser and line-breaker‘, the German would replace everything Guimaraes brought in possession.

He’s an outstanding passer from deep areas, breaking lines with his punchy balls to forward players. Defensively, he lacks elite-level athleticism but makes up for this with intelligent positioning and a strong tackling technique.

He’s not going to break into the final third and contribute to 15 goals a season like Guimaraes does, but there’s certainly a lot more upside to signing Stiller than Hojbjerg.

Angelo Stiller vs Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Statistical Comparison

At 25, Stiller still has his best years ahead of him and can grow into something special. On the flip side, Hojbjerg likely has his best years behind him.

Statistically, the players compare interestingly. While progressive passing data is harder to come by these days, Stiller is widely regarded as one of the best ball progression midfielders in Europe. Hojbjerg is much more of a metronomic passer, keeping possession without trying to force more aggressive balls in between the lines.

The perception might be that Hojbjerg is more steely in the middle of the park, but this isn’t necessarily reflected in the data. In fact, the Denmark international makes fewer defensive contributions per 90 minutes than Stiller does.

It should be a no-brainer for the Newcastle hierarchy.

All Statistics via FotMob – correct as of 08/08/2026

With the 2026 Formula One campaign now well into its mid-season, fans and pundits alike have been taking the opportunity to reflect upon the first 11 rounds of action this term.

While some drivers will reflect positively on their start to the campaign, others will be bitterly disappointed at the form they have shown.

One driver who would have been hoping to be in a slightly better position to challenge for the Drivers’ Championship this term has been criticised for the way that he has driven in recent races, including the Hungarian Grand Prix.

F1 Driver Mocked For His Driving Style

Mercedes’ George Russell finds himself 59 points behind teammate (and championship leader) Kimi Antonelli at the summer break. With two race wins and three P2 finishes, the Brit has certainly enjoyed spells of success in the opening half of the season.

However, former F1 driver and Caterham F1 Team Principal Christijan Albers has taken aim at Russell’s failure to keep pace with Antonelli at the head of the pack, accusing him of racing “like an old lady.”

Albers told Telesport: “He’s just not in the right frame of mind. He’s not comfortable in the car.”

He continued: “Kimi is so much more aggressive. And Russell is actually a bit like an old lady, a gentle soul, more measured, very cautious.”

Russell endured a frustrating afternoon at the Hungaroring, where he could finish no better than P7. He trailed the victorious Lando Norris by 57.503 seconds by the end of the race. For a driver hoping to have his say in the title picture, it was a poor end to a frustrating weekend, as Russell had already suffered an engine failure during qualifying.

“I’ve Never Had A Season Like This” – F1 Driver Complains of “Bad Luck”

In addition to his underwhelming result in Hungary, Russell has also been forced to retire from races in Monaco and Belgium. Russell summed up his struggles before he went on the mid-season break, stating: “I don’t wish any bad luck on anyone. But I’ve never had a season like this in my whole career, let alone my F1 career.”

With F1’s 2026 cars demanding aggression to unlock performance, Russell’s style looks increasingly outdated; and Antonelli’s looks tailor‑made for the new era.

Russell now has a two-and-a-half-week window to regroup before Formula 1 returns for the Dutch Grand Prix on the 23rd of August. It is unlikely that Russell will drastically revamp his driving style during the summer break, but he may be forced to take increased risks on the track if he wants to have any chance of catching Antonelli at the top of the table.