Dawn Staley's support of trans athletes' participation in women's sports sparks question from ex-NBA star

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Former NBA star Chandler Parsons was among those to weigh in after South Carolina Gamecocks basketball coach Dawn Staley was asked about transgender participation in women’s sports.

Staley expressed her support for transgender participation in women’s sports, sparking a bunch of reaction across social media. Parsons, who played at Florida before becoming an important starter for the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, asked one question about the comments.

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Chandler Parsons of the Houston Rockets during Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Trail Blazers on May 2, 2014, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. (Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

"So if Zach Edey wants to be a women (sic), he can play against you next season?" he wrote in response.

Even as it was likely rhetorical, Edey wouldn’t be allowed to play in Parsons’ circumstance. He would have to have at least one calendar year of suppression treatment and provide documentation twice annually and once within the weeks of competition in the NCAA championships.

During a press conference, OutKick’s Dan Zaksheske asked Staley her thoughts on the burning issue in the U.S.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley directs her team during the Final Four game against North Carolina State in the NCAA Tournament, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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"I'm of the opinion of, if you're a woman, you should play. If you consider yourself a woman, and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play. That's my opinion. You want me to go deeper?" she said.

When asked whether she thought "transgender women should be able to participate in women's college basketball," Staley responded, "Yes."

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the Final Four game against North Carolina State, Friday, April 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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"That's the question you want to ask, I'll give you that. Yes, yes. So, now the barnstormer people are going to flood my timeline and be a distraction to me on one of the biggest days of our game, and I'm OK with that. I really am," she added.

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