Texas AG Paxton Attends WNBA Game, Signals Cautious Optimism on Treatment of Women’s Sports Advocates

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attended Thursday’s Indiana Fever-Dallas Wings matchup at American Airlines Center alongside his daughter Mattie, both wearing matching XX-XY shirts as women’s sports advocates gathered outside the arena. When questioned about whether supporters of volleyball player Sophie Cunningham had received equitable treatment from the WNBA, Paxton offered a measured response rather than direct criticism of the league.

“Look, I think they’re working on it. I have concerns, but I’m hopeful that things are getting better in that regard,” Paxton told Fox News Digital. He acknowledged his office was monitoring the situation but declined to signal any immediate formal action.

Paxton’s cautious tone followed multiple incidents involving Cunningham supporters at WNBA venues nationwide. The league acknowledged in late August that its security personnel improperly instructed fans, including a mother and teenage daughter, to cover XX-XY shirts at an Atlanta Dream game. The WNBA stated the directive “should not have happened” and that fans retained the right to wear such apparel.

Despite this acknowledgment, Paxton emphasized his unwillingness to compromise on the underlying issue. He highlighted Texas legislation mandating that public school and college athletes compete according to biological sex, noting the laws reflect public sentiment in the state.

The attorney general praised Cunningham for publicly opposing biological males in women’s sports, calling her stance an example of courage worthy of emulation. He criticized policies permitting men to compete against women as fundamentally unfair to female athletes seeking opportunities in their sport.

Paxton also responded to former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announcing intentions to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft as a challenge to the league’s transgender eligibility framework. “It highlights the crazy insanity of this whole transgender movement,” Paxton stated, characterizing their actions as exposing what he views as problematic league policies.

When pressed on potential Texas action should either former player reach a Dallas roster, Paxton declined specifics. “We’ll just have to see how the WNBA handles this. But we certainly in Texas are promoting no boys in girls’ sports because it’s completely unfair,” he said.

Paxton’s attendance also highlighted support for Brooke Slusser, a former San Jose State volleyball player whose complaint about sharing living quarters with a transgender teammate sparked national attention. “I think that they are the epitome of what real Texans are about,” Paxton remarked, praising the family’s advocacy efforts.

The appearance came during Paxton’s campaign for U.S. Senate after defeating four-term incumbent John Cornyn in May’s Republican runoff with approximately 64 percent of the vote, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Paxton will face Democratic state Representative James Talarico in November after forgoing another attorney general term.

Women’s sports policy has become central to Paxton’s record as attorney general. His office sued the NCAA in December 2024 under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, contending the organization violated state law by marketing women’s competitions while permitting biological males to participate. After the NCAA revised its policy in February 2025 to restrict women’s competition to athletes assigned female at birth, Paxton maintained the organization needed sex verification systems.

A state judge subsequently denied Paxton’s request for a temporary injunction requiring sex screening, though the underlying lawsuit remains unresolved. His office has additionally secured compliance agreements with the Dallas Independent School District and launched investigations involving U.S. Masters Swimming and the Texas branch of the United States Tennis Association.

Paxton’s legal campaign has positioned him nationally as a leading Republican advocate for sex-based athletic categories. The Dallas Wings defeated Indiana 91-85 in Thursday’s game, which Paxton said he attended primarily to spend time with his daughter.