Enes Kanter Freedom has declared his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, a move that has ignited controversy and discussions surrounding the league's policies on player eligibility. Freedom released a preview of an interview with former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, in which he discusses the WNBA commissioner's alleged struggle to define what a woman is.
"The commissioner of the WNBA [Cathy Engelbert] messaged every GM, and they’re still trying to figure out what a woman is," Freedom stated in the clip, which was shared online. He added that the league is reportedly holding a meeting to address the issue, calling the situation "disrespectful" to the league's history and players.
![Enes Kanter Freedom speaking while wearing an orange "Let Freedom Ring" hoodie.]( "Enes Kanter Freedom speaking while wearing an orange "Let Freedom Ring" hoodie.")
The interview is scheduled to be fully released on Friday at 3:00 p.m. EST. This development follows Freedom's earlier announcement last week about his intention to enter the 2027 draft.
Freedom officially declared for the draft on Monday. Despite an 11-year career in the NBA, sources indicate he is eligible under Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, which states, "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." The article, however, does not provide specific definitions for the term "women" regarding biological sex, hormone levels, or physical attributes.
In the days following his announcement, Freedom has shared videos of his workouts on social media, with one shirtless workout video garnering over 1.5 million views by midday on Tuesday. The public discussion around his WNBA aspirations and the league's eligibility criteria continues to evolve.