Patrick Beverley, a retired NBA player known for his outspoken personality, has publicly criticized the plan by former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Beverley argues that their actions disrespect the WNBA and the women who have built the league, viewing their bid as a political stunt rather than a sincere attempt to challenge league policies.

"Enes Kanter, Royce White, I don’t like what y’all are doing at all," Beverley stated on his podcast, "The Pat Bev Show." "I think y’all disrespecting the brand that showed y’all a lot of respect. I think y’all disrespecting the game of basketball, period. You talk about Enes Kanter; you ain’t even from here. You come to another country, they give you $102 million in the NBA."

Kanter and White have described their declarations as tests of the WNBA's rules, which state that only women are eligible to play but do not explicitly define the term or detail a transgender participation policy. The WNBA has reportedly rejected their campaign as a "bad-faith" effort. Kanter has indicated that other former professional basketball players are considering joining his initiative.

Beverley acknowledged that Freedom and White might be trying to make a point but asserted that their method is inappropriate. "Whatever message Freedom and White hoped to deliver, Beverley viewed their approach as a stunt that demeaned the WNBA and the women who helped build it," the New York Post reported.

While not explicitly stating a position on transgender women's eligibility in the WNBA, Beverley emphasized his support for the league's current players and its growing visibility. He previously defended women's basketball by stating, "A hooper is a hooper. You don’t put gender, you don’t put race on it," in response to criticism directed at Angel Reese during the 2023 NCAA championship game.

Beverley also praised WNBA player A'ja Wilson, calling her "the most dominant WNBA player we’ve ever seen," and suggested that her team, the Las Vegas Aces, could compete against NBA reserve players.

He believes that the current progress in the WNBA, including increased attention and new teams, is significant and that Kanter and White's actions undermine this momentum. "We just got the ladies the bag," Beverley said. "They getting a lot of airtime right now. The games is lit. You got new teams coming into the league that’s popping off."