Footage of Donald Trump joking in July 2022 about recruiting NBA star LeBron James to play for a women's basketball team has resurfaced online in August 2026, amid a heated debate within the WNBA over transgender athletes competing in women's sport. The clip has gained fresh attention as it dovetails with an ongoing row sparked by Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has argued that women and girls should not have to compete against male athletes.

Cunningham's comments have divided opinion among WNBA coaches, columnists and media pundits, with reactions ranging from calls for sports to remain inclusive to accusations that her stance is "anti-Black" and anti-transgender. The resurfaced Trump remarks are being circulated by commentators as a satirical illustration of the perceived absurdity of male athletes competing in women's sport, feeding into the wider ongoing debate about fairness and inclusion in women's basketball.