Charles Barkley declares WNBA is ‘for women only, period’
NBA legend Charles Barkley slams the inclusion of transgender athletes in the WNBA, asserting the league is for women only. Outnumbered co-host Emily Compagno addresses former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White being declared ineligible for the WNBA draft.
The narrative that French trans basketball player Julie Tetart wouldn’t hold a competitive advantage in the WNBA just doesn’t hold up, according to two former teammates who are speaking out about Tetart’s raw physical power that they describe as “a train coming into you.”
During an interview with French podcast, “Club Five,” Sara Crudo and Martina Bestagno explained their experiences playing with Tetart during the 2025-26 season and whether the French phenom could play in the WNBA after averaging a historic 20 points and 20 rebounds per game last season.
Julie Tetart, a transgender player for Monaco, is pictured during a French second-division basketball game in Reims, France, on Jan. 10, 2026. Tetart is the best player in the French second division basketball league. (ZUMAPRESS.com)
“If they contact me, I won’t say no. But you have to be realistic: I’m old, and there are far better players than me!” Tetart told OutKick in early August as the WNBA told the world that it was inclusive and welcoming of trans basketball players.
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Bestagno, who played against Brittney Griner over multiple seasons during EuroLeague competitions, describes Tetart’s power as unlike anything she’s seen in women’s basketball.
“I played against really big players such as Brittney Griner (6’9″, 219 pounds), Isabelle Yacoubou (6’3″, 229 pounds), and they’re big. They’re probably bigger,” the veteran power forward Bestagno explained. “It’s not just the size, it’s the combination of size and strength that it’s something that I never went against it before. I was blown away by the difference talking about strength. The difference is huge.”
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Martina Bestagno of Famila Schio celebrates after the Frecciarossa Woman Final Eight 2025 match against Umana Reyer Venezia at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, on Feb. 16, 2025. (Getty Images)
Tetart is listed at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. Does this size and power translate to the WNBA? The Club Five podcast host asked Bestagno and Crudo if Tetart would “dominate” the American league.
“No, not at all. Not at all,” Bestagno answered. “Physically, [Tetart] is probably the strongest that I ever faced. With that being said, basketball is not athletics. It’s not because you’re the strongest automatically you are the best player.”
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Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream draws a foul against Brittney Griner of the Connecticut Sun during the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga., on June 2, 2026. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Interesting. So a basketball player who’s stronger and more physically dominating than Griner, and put up 20 points and 20 rebounds, shouldn’t be on a WNBA roster? That doesn’t make sense. At the very least, Tetart deserves a tryout, wouldn’t you think?
We don’t know what the former teammates think because the host doesn’t follow up with that question. It’s simple: Can Tetart play in the WNBA?
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Relegated to the French second division, Tetart will return to Monaco’s team when its season starts in September.
Julie Tetart, a transgender player for Monaco and the top player in the French second-division basketball league, is pictured in Reims, France, on Jan. 10, 2026. (ZUMA PRESS)
Ex-teammate Crudo says enough is enough. “Is it unfair to let [Tetart] play? Yeah, absolutely yes. This is too much, and I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t understand why no one says it,” she added.
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“Imagine me when I was 13 years old. I start to travel as a kid, you follow this dream that you have,” the veteran forward said. “You fight for it. You don’t arrive there in first league by chance, because you work your ass off. And then maybe there is a situation like someone like Julie, that at 30 years old—after she already went through puberty—can come in. I fight for my whole life to reach this level. She’s taking a spot [from] another woman.”
