So much for the narrative that French trans basketball player Julie Tetart couldn’t make it in the WNBA. If the WNBA was true to its word that it’s inclusive, a team would pull the trigger and bring in this unique player.
In a Round of 16 Coupe de France tournament showdown Wednesday night against Lyon-ASVEL Féminin, which is owned by NBA legend Tony Parker, Tetart put the doubts to rest. The 6’3 phenom put up 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds in an 81-71 loss to a team featuring 6’1 19-year-old Ainhoa Risacher, who is expected to be a top-15 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Despite playing five fewer minutes, Tetart outscored and out-rebounded the big-time prospect while also shooting better from the field.
This is Angel Reese‘s worst nightmare – a top-level defender who can score and is built like a middle linebacker.
“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 French over Instagram direct messages in August.
Age is just a number based on how Tetart has started the 2026-27 season. Through five league games in the LF2 (France’s second division), where her team remains undefeated (5-0), Julie is averaging 13.8 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. A year ago, Tetart averaged a league-high 20.7 points and 20 rebounds a game while playing 31 minutes per game. Through five games, Julie is averaging 22 minutes of court time per game.
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The loss to Tony Parker’s team wasn’t due to Tetart. The Monaco team shot 27% from 3 (6-of-22) while Lyon sank 11 threes. Game over.
Tetart more than held up in the paint while facing former University of South Florida rebound machine Bethy Mununga, who finished her career as one of the school’s all-time best players. Tetart, who has never played outside of France and never played high-level basketball before declaring to be trans, dominated Mununga on the glass.
Could Tetart join the WNBA if a team actually practiced what it preaches about being inclusive? The WNBA isn’t saying “no,” at least not that we know of.
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The league’s current collective bargaining agreement currently doesn’t include a clear legal definition of “women.” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert boldly declared that both Enes Kanter and Royce White are ineligible to play in the league because they’re “both men,” but she’s still not giving a definition for “women.”
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As for this idea that Tetart is too old for the WNBA, that’s nonsense. Alysha Clark just completed the 2026 season and she’s 39. So is DeWanna Bonner. She averaged 10 points a game this season. A total of 14 players in the league are the same age as Tetart, or older. Brittney Griner is 35. She poured in 13 points a game for Connecticut.
The ball is officially in the WNBA’s court.
