WNBA, NBA silent on transgender eligibility debate as players and coaches take the heat

Pressure is mounting for the WNBA and NBA to get their arms around the transgender eligibility mess hanging over the league.

On Tuesday, OutKick asked Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts whether he agreed with Charles Barkley’s assessment that WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is failing to get ahead of the controversy.

"Yeah, I’m going to leave that to the league office," Tibbetts said.

"That’s their job." WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT SENDS TRANS INCLUSION MEMO AFTER ENES FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE ANNOUNCEMENTS OutKick reached out to both the WNBA and NBA for comment on Engelbert’s continued silence and Barkley’s critique.

Both leagues remained silent.

By keeping the door open on the eligibility debate, the WNBA and NBA leave their players and coaches to absorb the heat.

Tibbetts has previously explained why that burden is unfair.

Earlier this month, while defending Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White amid backlash over her handling of the DiJonai Carrington-Sophie Cunningham incident, Tibbetts said it "really p—-s me off." ZERO BS.

JUST DAKICH.

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DOWNLOAD NOW! "It’s disappointing," Tibbetts said.

"Some of the things that Steph has to go through, that’s wrong.

There’s no other coach in any professional sport that has to go through the stuff that she does.

It’s not fair.