Enes Kanter Freedom has spent years irritating powerful people, and now he's discovered a new target. The former NBA center and third overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft has declared himself eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
In the aftermath of Sophie Cuningham making a definitive stance that women’s sports should remain female, many coaches and players have opened up the floodgates for men in their league. Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Willliams even said, "I would welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team any time." Throughout this whole saga, the WNBA has remained silent about protecting fairness in their league, so Freedom is putting their feet to the fire in a hilarious way.
"If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA," Freedom stated in a social media post seated behind a studio desk wearing an orange WNBA sweatshirt with the Nike logo crossed out.
Freedom says he and his team reviewed the league's eligibility rules and concluded he checks the necessary boxes.
His point is as subtle as a belch: If sex can bend around self-identification when sports organizations want inclusion, he wants the WNBA to explain where the line sits.
Genius. Perfect. Waiting to see which WNBA team recruits @EnesFreedom. https://t.co/3Qv9W5nXGr
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 7, 2026
Here's where the joke becomes uncomfortable for the league. The 2026 collective bargaining agreement contains one wonderfully short sentence: "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA."
ARTICLE XIII PLAYER ELIGIBILITY AND WNBA DRAFT
Section 1.
Player Eligibility.
(a) Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.
(b) A player is eligible to be selected in the WNBA Draft if she:
(i) will be at least twenty-two (22) years old during the calendar year in which such Draft is held and she either has no remaining intercollegiate eligibility or renounces her remaining intercollegiate eligibility by written notice to the WNBA at least ten (10) days prior to such Draft; (ii) has graduated from a four-year college or university prior to such Draft, or “is to graduate” from such college or university within the three (3)-month period following such Draft and she either has no remaining intercollegiate eligibility or renounces her remaining intercollegiate eligibility by written notice to the WNBA at least ten (10) days prior to such Draft or (iii) attended a fouryear college or university, her original class in such college or university has already been graduated or “is to graduate” within the three (3)-month period following such Draft, and she either has no remaining intercollegiate eligibility or renounces her remaining intercollegiate eligibility by written notice to the WNBA at least ten (10) days prior to such Draft.
It then lays out age, college, and draft requirements. What it doesn't do in Article XIII is define the word "women."
Freedom is 34; his college class is ancient history. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound former center played 11 seasons while averaging 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds.
Paperwork isn't really the problem here.
The issue is a league culture that has spent years celebrating inclusion while becoming very nervous when somebody asks where inclusion ends.
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams recently said she would welcome a transgender athlete on her team or as an opponent. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt days after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham publicly defended keeping female sports for female athletes.
It’s the third straight Fever game that drew a rally after Cunningham recently voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports in an ESPN article published last week.
Before the contest, Cunningham and Reeve held a conversation at midcourt. Reeve didn’t want to share the exact nature of their talk.
“Both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate,” Reeve said. “There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it’s how you handle things. It was nice to be in person, for sure.”
Cunningham was booed by the crowd on her first touch of the game and throughout.
Now Freedom has raised his hand.
It's been quite a week for women's basketball. Clay Travis first offered $10 million for the defending champion Las Vegas Aces to play a boys' high school state championship of his choosing. The league hasn't exactly rushed to accept.
For Our VIPs: Clay Travis Calls the WNBA’s Bluff With a $10 Million Challenge
Then Freedom arrives with an even more uncomfortable challenge: apply your philosophy to somebody who could make the consequences visible on the scoreboard.
The WNBA has also undoubtedly asked for this. Now is the time for them to put their money where their mouth is. If you’re really so "inclusive," you should have no problem with this.
If he identifies as a woman, who are they to tell him who he is? Who are they to tell him if this is genuine or not? This is a great way to put their feet to the fire. It has the opportunity to show that all of this "trans acceptance" talk is just virtue signaling.
"I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices," Freedom added. "I’m simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone - the rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for."
Bingo! That is exactly right.
Players like Gabby Williams, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson, and the majority of WNBA fans have made it clear they are supportive of men in women’s sports.
Freedom wrapped up his WNBA Draft announcement stating, "My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally, consistently, and without exception, and I look forward to the WNBA honoring its stated principles. See you at training camp." The WNBA will now have to put their foot down to protect the fairness, integrity and safety of their league, or allow their progressive politics to ruin it.
We've already seen sports organizations cross the biological-sex line. Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard competed in the women's super heavyweight division at the Tokyo Olympics under the eligibility rules in force at the time.
Those rules have changed considerably since then, which only strengthens the larger point. Sports authorities eventually confront limits because biology refuses to negotiate.
Could Freedom sue if the WNBA rejected him? He could certainly try. Federal law protects workers from discrimination based on transgender status, but winning such a case would be another question.
Title VII also recognizes a narrow exception when sex is a bona fide occupational qualification necessary to the operation of a particular business. A women's professional basketball league would have an obvious argument to make.
Writing at Fox News, Outkick's Jon Root brings the idea home:
This whole situation will be hilarious to witness. If the league allows Freedom to be eligible, irrationally sticking to their anti-women progressive politics, but no team drafts Freedom in April 2027, it could be seen as discrimination. If they say their sport is for females only, they run into the fury of their liberal foundation, which many of their fans, players, and coaches hold to.
This’ll be a great way to expose the hypocrisy or idiocy of the progressive movement ingrained in the league.
Your move, WNBA.
Which brings us back to Freedom's real purpose. He isn't preparing for training camp; he's forcing the WNBA to say something many inside women's sports have spent years avoiding: what qualifies someone as a woman for competition?
Freedom has already supplied his punchline; if self-identification rules the day, perhaps he can check every remaining diversity box too.
Lesbian trapped in a man's body?
Welcome to the draft board.
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