CHICAGO, USA – August 3: WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA and USA Network logo is seen before the WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury at Wintrust Arena on Monday, August 3 in Chicago, USA PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx Sportspressphoto_SPR200273 ©IMAGO/Sports Press Photo Olutayo Inioluwa Emmanuel Sat, October 31, 2026 at 1:32 PM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The WNBA has not received a declaration from Julie Tétart. In fact, the 6-foot-3 transgender center does not see an eventual WNBA career as a realistic possibility, even though it remains a dream. By Tétart's own admission, "there are just far better players in the WNBA." But after her performance against a potential top-15 2027 WNBA Draft pick on Wednesday, the argument about a skill gap has been called into question by some.
In the Coupe de France round of 16, the 34-year-old Tétart outproduced 19-year-old Aïnhoa Risacher, a player widely projected as a top lottery pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Tétart finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in just 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Risacher ended the game with nine points, six rebounds, six assists, and six steals, despite playing more minutes.
Risacher's Lyon-ASVEL did win the game, beating Tétart's Monaco 81-71. But the comparison between the two stat lines has drawn plenty of attention. For example, according to Fox's Joe Kinsey , it is a textbook example for the WNBA fans who say Tétart couldn't make it in the league.
And Kinsey is not alone in this school of thought. Many conservative sports commentators and social media users have pointed to Tétart's strong stat lines to challenge the WNBA's inclusion policies, or to dare the league to sign her, especially as the debate over transgender eligibility in the WNBA was especially pronounced throughout the 2026 season.
A breakthrough performance just reignited one of women's basketball's most contentious conversations. Subscribe to stay ahead of the WNBA's evolving eligibility standards and what they mean for the league's future.
That debate was ignited after Sophie Cunningham publicly voiced her opposition to the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports, calling their exclusion a matter of "common sense" to protect biological females. An avalanche of discussion and debate from both sides of the issue has since followed across the league.
There were protests and counter-protests outside arenas, and players and coaches spoke out in support of the transgender community. Most notably, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt on the sideline during a game against Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever.
It was at the height of that conversation that Tétart was asked whether she would accept a call from a WNBA franchise .
"If they contact me, I won't say no," Tétart said. "But you have to be realistic, I'm old, and there are far better players than me. Obviously, it's a childhood dream just like for any female basketball player, but unfortunately, it's not possible."
WNBA leadership has historically remained silent on explicit policy definitions for transgender women, and many observers have read that silence as a sign of the league's unwillingness to say that it's firmly against it.
For those who believe that the competitive and athletic differences between transgender women and cisgender women are significant, Tétart's performance in France's second division has become a particularly striking example and a reason why they think the WNBA should be explicit on its policy.
Alongside Tétart's dominance in the French second division, her performance against Risacher's team has given those on the other side of the argument fresh material. Whether it changes anything is another matter. Tétart herself has been realistic about her chances, and the WNBA has given no sign that it intends to address the question publicly. But with the 2026 debate still fresh, every notable performance like this one is likely to be pulled back into the conversation.
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Source: Sports
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