Enes Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player, has officially declared his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Freedom announced his decision on Monday morning, posting a video of himself signing a document requesting his entry into the player pool for the draft, scheduled for next April.
In the video, Freedom wore a shirt that read, "Invest in women. Pay women. Hire women," a slogan associated with the women's sports advocacy group, The Human Right Campaign. Freedom, 34, previously had an 11-year career in the NBA but has not played professionally since 2022.
Freedom's announcement follows a recent claim he made about entering the draft in the wake of the ongoing controversy surrounding WNBA player Sophie Cunningham. Shortly after Freedom revealed his plans, former NBA player and Republican US Senate candidate Royce White stated his intention to also declare for the WNBA Draft as a transgender player.
The WNBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article XIII, Section 1(a), stipulates that "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." However, the agreement does not provide specific definitions for the term "women," nor does it detail criteria related to biological sex, hormone levels, or physical attributes.
Freedom and White's intentions have drawn criticism and backlash from various figures, including former NBA player Robin Lopez, who publicly commented on the matter via X on Sunday.