Former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom has announced his eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027, stating that he meets all league requirements after thoroughly examining its eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification.
In a social media post, Freedom emphasized: “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”
The declaration follows recent discussions within the WNBA about transgender policies. Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham recently stated her concern: “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
The league has experienced divisions on this issue, with Golden State Valkyries’ Gabby Williams expressing she would welcome any trans athlete “on my team or against my team, anytime.” Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made her stance clear by wearing a “Trans Kids Belong” t-shirt during a game against Cunningham’s Fever.
Freedom changed his name after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2021, shifting his original surname Kanter to his middle name. This marks the second time he has engaged with the league’s gender policies; in 2023, he posed a similar question during an interview: “Should I put on a wig, identify as a woman and start dominating the WNBA?”
Freedom clarified that he is “definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices.”
