Matt Barnes Doesn’t Think Trans Women Should Play in WNBA: ‘Whatever You’re Born, To Me, You Should Play In That Space’

Former NBA player Matt Barnes said on a YouTube show that he believes trans women should not play in the WNBA, but added that he respects a person’s decision to have gender reconstruction surgery.

Barnes was on VLADTV and was asked what he thought about the issue, and whether transgender athletes should be able to play in the WNBA.

“What do you think about trans players potentially playing for the WNBA?” Barnes was asked.

“I don’t like that,” Barnes answered. “I think if, and this is a deep rip, to each his own. You wanna be whatever you wanna be. I mean, if you’re born a certain, you should play it. Whatever you’re born, to me, you should play in that space.”

Barnes brought up the University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and her domination in swim events.

“You see that the swimmer and all this kind of stuff,” Barnes added. “I’m pro. Make your choice. Do you do this. But you know sports is different. Sports is a different beast.”

Barnes brought up a trans fighter, Fallon Fox.

“I think you’ve seen a trans fighter, too, right? To me, I don’t like that,” Barnes continued. “If you’re born a woman, you should play woman’s sports, and if you’re born a man, you should play man’s sports.

Barnes had no issue with someone who wanted to make that choice for themselves and to live their life however they wanted to.

“You wanna do whatever you wanna do with your life; I respect that,” Barnes said. “That’s not my business, but I think the sports thing is just a little different.”

Barnes elaborated that the swimmer, Thomas, had competitions that she dominated but on the men’s side she did not perform that well.

“Was very average on the men’s side,” Barnes added.

Watch above via VLADTV.