NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Kentucky
NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Kentucky
Charles Barkley did not hold back Monday when he took aim at the top leadership of the NBA and WNBA. The Hall of Famer made it clear he believes Adam Silver and Cathy Engelbert dropped the ball by staying quiet too long on one of the most heated current issues in women’s sports.
Barkley said he was disappointed in both commissioners during an appearance on Michael Smerconish’s podcast. He argued the two should have stepped forward weeks earlier and drawn a firm line. In his view, the message needed to be simple and final: the WNBA is for women only.
“I’m disappointed in Adam Silver and Cathy, the [WNBA] commissioner,” Barkley said. “First of all, you can’t let stupid stuff go out to the internet, which is one of the worst things that ever happened to the world. They should have come out two weeks ago before all this.”
He said the publicity stunt currently being pulled off by Enes Kanter Freedom, who is challenging the league by declaring himself eligible to play in the WNBA, has sent the narrative into absurd territory.
“People are looking for attention now … but [Freedom] has a point though, because Cathy and Adam haven’t said, ‘Hey, it’s in the title, WNBA,'” Barkley explained. “And Enes is trying to get attention.”
“‘No, we’re not doing that either. The WNBA is for women. And listen, this is the last time we’re going to discuss it. We’re not going to turn it over to the fools on the internet. We’re not going to turn it over to Congress and things like that. The WNBA is for women only. Period.'”
Barkley Calls Out Silver and Engelbert
Dec 13, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Charles Barkley interviews Kentucky Wildcats forward Mouhamed Dioubate after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Barkley pointed out that the league’s own name should have made the position obvious. He said Silver and Engelbert needed to state publicly that no transgender athletes would be allowed to compete. Anyone who disagreed, he added, could “kick rocks.”
The Hall of Famer stressed that the conversation should have ended right there instead of being left open for the internet and attention seekers to dominate.
The comments come as the league faces increasing pressure over gender eligibility rules. Former NBA players have publicly declared interest in joining the WNBA, and several current players have spoken out about protecting female competition. Barkley noted that the lack of clear leadership has only made the situation messier.
He argued that by failing to shut the issue down early, Silver and Engelbert allowed the story to grow into a full-blown controversy.
“When’s the last time you heard something positive about the WNBA? I can’t even remember. And I’m a WNBA fan,” Barkley said.
Leadership Silence Fuels Ongoing Controversy
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley with fans during the first round of the American Century Celebrity Champion ship golf
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley with fans during the first round of the American Century Celebrity Champion ship golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nev., Friday, July 10, 2026. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Barkley’s frustration was not limited to the transgender athlete debate itself. He said league officials have been too slow and too cautious to head off controversy. He wants them to stop dancing around the topic and simply state the obvious. The WNBA, he repeated, exists for women.
Supporters of women quickly praised the Hall of Famer for saying what many athletes and fans have been thinking. Critics of the current approach argue that biological males competing in female categories undermine fairness and safety.
The NBA and WNBA have not issued an immediate public response to Barkley’s remarks. League rules currently state that only women are eligible, yet they stop short of actually defining the term. That ambiguity has become a flashpoint.
For now, Barkley has put the pressure squarely on leadership. His message: they should have settled this weeks ago by declaring the WNBA women-only and refusing to reopen the discussion. Whether the commissioners will finally take that step remains to be seen, but the Hall of Famer has made his position impossible to ignore.