Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White won’t be playing in the WNBA. An Associated Press source confirmed Monday that both men are officially ineligible for next year’s WNBA draft, despite their stated intentions to enter.
WNBA’s Stance Ignites Heated Debate
The WNBA just dropped a bomb, though many probably saw it coming: Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are absolutely not eligible for next year’s WNBA draft. An AP source confirmed the league’s decision Monday, following their public declaration of intent to enter, even claiming they identify as women. This move immediately pours fuel on an already blazing fire, especially when you look at the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement. It clearly states the league is “restricted to women,” but here’s the kicker: it has no specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. This glaring gap fuels the league’s intense debates about transgender participation, a conversation ignited by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s recent ESPN profile where she voiced opposition to transgender girls and women in women’s sports. This ruling, while expected, definitely ratchets up the tension.
Freedom’s Sideline Statement Turns Into An Ejection
Freedom isn’t just quietly accepting the news; he’s been front and center. Just Sunday night, this 6-foot-10, 250-pound former NBA veteran got tossed from the Indiana-Chicago game, not even as a player! He was sitting baseline, wearing a black shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” After Sky guard Natasha Cloud scored late in the third, she made a beeline for him, yelling and pointing. Freedom stood, took one step onto the court, and it turned into a full-blown scene with security and Sky players stepping in. As he was escorted off, Freedom pleaded his case, spinning around to hold out his shirt, trying to rally the crowd. He even had a conversation with police before leaving Wintrust Arena. His social media post summed up his stance: “I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!” To show he’s all in, Freedom joined a rally supporting Cunningham outside the arena earlier that day. Clearly, Freedom isn’t just watching this debate unfold; he’s actively shaping it, making a statement at every turn.
While Freedom makes his presence felt off the court, Royce White, who played only three NBA games compared to Freedom’s 11 seasons, hasn’t been nearly as public. Cloud, after the sideline drama, met with team and league security but stayed quiet with the media. The WNBA itself hasn’t publicly commented on the reasons for declaring Freedom and White ineligible, beyond that anonymous source. But one thing is crystal clear: this entire saga, from the eligibility rulings to the raw, emotional sideline drama, proves the heated debate about who truly belongs in women’s sports isn’t just alive, it’s intensifying. The WNBA has a massive challenge navigating these choppy waters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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