‘Rules are rules’. Enes Kanter Freedom is rigid in his stance on declaring himself for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) 2027 Draft. The controversy forced a WNBA task force of team presidents and general managers to hold a meeting on Wednesday, August 12, to discuss the gender eligibility criteria for who can participate in the ‘women-only’ tournament.
As reported by ESPN, the league gave a statement on Wednesday: “Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online. We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalise others.”
Enes Kanter Freedom Questions WNBA Gender Eligibility Rules
After former NBA players Enes Freedom and Royce White declared their names for the draft, questions over the gender rules emerged. Can anyone identifying as a woman participate in the WNBA?
The 2026 collective bargaining agreement mentioned only one line: “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” Now, they will have to decide what this “woman” means and if this includes biological men like Freedom and White or not.
“The WNBA says a woman is anyone who claims to be one. So if I say I’m a woman, you have to accept it,” Enes tweeted again on Wednesday night.
“Those are the rules the WNBA created. Why does anyone get to decide whose journey is real and whose isn’t? Who gets to judge? Rules Are Rules!” he added.
The @WNBA says a woman is anyone who claims to be one.
So if I say I’m a woman, you have to accept it.
Those are the rules the #WNBA created.
Why does anyone get to decide whose journey is real and whose isn’t?
Who gets to judge?
Rules Are Rules!#LetFreedomPlay pic.twitter.com/aDY1YElaaz
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) August 12, 2026
WNBA Trans Athelete Controversy
The controversy in the WNBA is only deepening day by day. First, Sophie Cunningham’s comments on protecting young girls from biological men in the locker room, then the Indiana Fever star asking media to focus on basketball instead of covering other stuff, and now two biological men actually coming forward to put their names in the draft.
There are many questions unanswered at the moment. The WNBA has not yet provided any official statement regarding its discussion over the participation of trans athletes.
