Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom enters 2027 WNBA draft

Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom declared himself eligible for the WNBA draft on Friday, August 7, 2026, in a pointed challenge to the league's policies on gender identity and inclusion. The 34-year-old former player, who stands 6-foot-10, announced his intention to enter the 2027 draft in a social media video, arguing that under what he characterized as the league's current eligibility guidelines, he qualifies as a prospect.

In his statement, Freedom said he and his team had reviewed the WNBA's eligibility criteria and governing framework. "If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA," he said. He insisted his announcement was not meant to mock or disrespect any community but to test the consistency of the league's rules. "I'm simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone," Freedom stated, adding that these were "the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for." He did not declare himself transgender.

The announcement inserts Freedom directly into an ongoing debate within the WNBA and women's sports broadly regarding transgender participation....