The WNBA will not allow former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White to play in the league after they declared themselves women and eligible for the draft, league sources told Front Office Sports. The league characterized their declarations as "publicity stunts" and stated it would not "give oxygen to efforts designed to mock the league or use this topic to demean and marginalize others."
The WNBA "will not allow outside pressure or manufactured controversy to dictate league processes," a source said. The league confirmed it will continue to discuss the topic but noted there are no "legitimate and immediate eligibility matters that require action."
This decision follows an incident on Sunday, August 23, 2026, where Freedom was removed from Wintrust Arena in Chicago after a verbal altercation with Chicago Sky star Natasha Cloud. Freedom was wearing a shirt that read, "WOMAN noun. adult human female." Cloud, a proponent of transgender athletes in women's sports, reportedly shouted at Freedom during a timeout. Security then escorted Freedom out of the arena.
Freedom later posted on social media, "I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!"
The WNBA's current collective bargaining agreement, in Article XIII Section 1 (a), states, "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." The agreement, ratified in March, does not include specific language regarding gender identity or gender assigned at birth.
Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, has become more politically active in recent years. He and White, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, declared their eligibility for the 2027 WNBA Draft earlier this month amidst ongoing debates about transgender athletes in women's sports. This also comes after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham expressed support for barring transgender athletes from women's sports in an ESPN article published in July, which ignited broader discussions and rallies.
A spokesperson for Wintrust Arena indicated that decisions regarding disciplinary actions would be the purview of the WNBA. As of Monday, the league had not announced a ban on Freedom attending future games. A Chicago Police Department spokesperson confirmed no reports were filed regarding the incident.
Following the game, a spokesperson for the Chicago Sky told Front Office Sports that Cloud had spoken with league and team security. The WNBA released a statement after a meeting discussing transgender athletes and "the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online." The league stated, "We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others."