Enes Kanter Freedom Officially Declares for WNBA Draft as Pressure Campaign on League’s Trans Policy Ratchets Up

(Photo via Enes Freedom on X)

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom ratcheted up his campaign against the WNBA and its approach to trans issues on Monday by sharing he has made it “official-official” and declared for the league’s draft.

The 6’10 Freedom posted a brief video of himself on X signing his letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert while wearing a black t-shirt declaring “Invest in women, Pay women, Hire women.” His video showed him dunking on an outdoor hoop as pundits sang his praises in the background; it also included a soundbite of Outkick founder Clay Travis saying the WNBA “does not ban men who identify as women from playing right now.”

“Rules are rules!” Freedom captioned his video, which showed him sitting in front of a painting of George Washington.

The league’s bargaining agreement says only women can be drafted, but Freedom and Royce White, another ex-NBA player, have called out the WNBA for not defining what a woman is — something which prompted both of them  to declare they are entering the draft as transgender women last week.

White told Fox News on Sunday he was “having a blast in my feminine era” and felt there was no reason for the WNBA to block him or Freedom from joining, since they would help spur fan interest and a ratings boost.

“I never thought I was a woman. You know, I’ve always trusted the science and I thought I was a man my entire life,” White said in his interview. “But after further review, [and] a strong look at my personal preferences, it would appear that I am indeed sometimes identifying as a transgender woman. And I think it’s only fair I get a chance to play with some of my queens in the twilight of my career.”

White was a first-round pick of the Houston Rockets in 2012, but only played three NBA games in his career due to struggles with generalized anxiety disorder; 34-year-old Freedom averaged 11 points and eight rebounds per game in his 11 NBA seasons.

Their announcements spurred the WNBA to put out a statement saying it would not be “used as political pawns.” The WNBA is also planning on reviewing its approach to trans issues at a task force meeting this week.

All of this comes after Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham has been at the center of a media firestorm, following her July remarks to ESPN she did not believe girls and women should play against biological boys and men who have transitioned.

Freedom on Monday shared a look at his letter in a follow-up post.

“Please accept this formal document as my official written notification to the Women’s National Basketball Association of my voluntary decision to enter the player pool for the 2027 WNBA Draft,” the letter said. “Consistent with the current league collective bargaining agreement, I am submitting this notice to exercise my draft rights and to affirm that I [am] at least twenty-two years old and that I have no remaining intercollegiate eligibility.”

He then asked the WNBA to verify it had received his application and thanked the league for processing it.

Watch above.

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