Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Former NBA players call league's bluff

Former NBA centre Enes Kanter Freedom has officially declared for the 2027 WNBA draft, challenging the league’s eligibility guidelines and sparking renewed debate over transgender participation in women’s sports.

The 6-foot-10-inch, 250-pound basketball player Freedom, who has had 11 years of experience in the NBA, made this announcement through social media, where he said that he met all the criteria for the WNBA’s current eligibility system.

Freedom posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”

Hours later, fellow former NBA first-round pick Royce White was also selected for the same draft, saying: “I’m transgender. I am a woman. I identify sometimes as a woman for basketball.”

The dual announcements came during ongoing controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports. Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has been very vocal about her opposition to transgender women competing in the WNBA.

Freedom clarified that his intention is not to mock or disrespect any community. He said: “I’m simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone, the rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for.”

Responding to the situation, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association issued a statement affirming its commitment to “justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion” while acknowledging the need for “hard conversations.”

The league is now faced with tough decisions regarding how to deal with the declarations, and these decisions may range from outright rejection to acceptance and facing a storm of controversy.