Enes Kanter Freedom Declares for 2027 WNBA Draft

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom says he’s taking his ongoing criticism of transgender athlete policies directly to the basketball court.

Freedom announced Friday that he is declaring himself eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft, framing the move as a challenge to the league’s eligibility rules regarding transgender athletes.

“After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I am officially declaring myself a WNBA prospect,” Freedom said in a video posted to X.

The former Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers center argued that if identifying as a woman is enough to meet the league’s gender requirements, the same rules should apply to him.

Freedom insisted that the announcement was not meant to mock or disrespect the transgender community, saying instead that he wants to see whether the league’s standards are applied “equally, consistently, and without exception.”

The announcement quickly picked up attention online, with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines praising the move. Former NBA first-round pick Royce White also joined the conversation, announcing his own intention to pursue a spot in the WNBA while making a similar argument about transgender eligibility policies.

Freedom has raised the hypothetical before. During a 2023 appearance on Fox News, the 6-foot-10 former NBA center questioned whether he could identify as a woman and compete in the WNBA, arguing that allowing biological males to participate would create an unfair advantage for female athletes.

The debate has recently found its way back into the basketball conversation after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham publicly said she does not believe biological men should compete in women’s sports.

The WNBA has not publicly responded to Freedom’s announcement.

Freedom last played in the NBA during the 2021-22 season and has since become an outspoken political commentator, frequently speaking about human rights, politics and sports policy.