'I Won't Say No': Transgender French Star Julie Tétart Open to a WNBA Call, Despite US Hurdle

Transgender French basketball player Julie Tétart has said she would be open to joining the Women's National Basketball Association if a team approached her, while acknowledging concerns about the political climate in the United States. The 34-year-old centre, who currently plays for a club in Monaco, discussed the possibility of a move across the Atlantic during a direct exchange on Monday.

Speaking about her professional future, Tétart said that playing in the North American league remains a long-held ambition. While she had previously dismissed a move to the US because of concerns over the incoming American presidential administration, the 6ft 3in player confirmed she would consider a formal offer, saying that if an inclusive WNBA franchise contacted her, she would not turn it down.

Julie Tétart Dominates Ligue 2 Amid Award Controversy

Tétart recently completed a statistically dominant 2025–2026 campaign in France's Ligue 2. After publicly coming out as transgender in October 2021, she quickly became one of the leading players in the second-tier women's competition. She averaged 21 points and 20 rebounds per game, finishing the season as the division leader in both categories.

Her performances this year included individual milestones that attracted coverage in local media. During a widely discussed fixture in March, she recorded 21 points and a record 30 rebounds. The display set a new league mark, surpassing her own previous record of 25 rebounds in a single game.

Her statistics saw Tétart named Domestic Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and overall Player of the Year, according to Fox News. The decision not to select her for the league's Most Valuable Player award, however, led to criticism from some regional advocacy groups.

Activists said league captains and coaches, who hold the main voting power for the MVP award, acted to exclude transgender athletes. The advocacy organisation TRANSpire issued a statement on Instagram criticising the voters.

They argued that, despite producing leading performances, both Tétart and 43-year-old fellow transgender player Aurore Pautou, who averaged 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds, were left out during the postseason awards process.

WNBA Call Remains a Complex Prospect

Asked about moving to the United States, Tétart downplayed her own chances of earning a spot and pointed to the wider context.

'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,' she explained via social media. She added that while the WNBA itself is highly attractive to her, the host country presents a political hurdle, indicating that current United States leadership makes relocation difficult.

Debate over the inclusion of transgender athletes in professional women's basketball has continued in France. Audrey Sauret, a former WNBA player from France, voiced concerns in April following the Ligue 2 MVP decision.

Sauret said using the second-tier league as a testing ground for inclusion policies creates unfair competition and could deter younger female players. Changing hormones, the former guard argued, does not remove sex-based differences.

Growing Scrutiny Over Inclusive Athletic Policies

In the United States, similar positions have been taken by some current WNBA players, including Sophie Cunningham, who has previously argued for keeping biological males out of women's sport. When given a chance to respond directly to Cunningham's comments, Tétart answered with a single word.

'Aucun,' she said, which translates as 'None.' Any future meeting on court between Tétart and players such as Cunningham remains hypothetical and would depend on a WNBA franchise offering a contract to the 34-year-old before she retires.