Enes Kanter Freedom Declares for 2027 WNBA Draft

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Enes Kanter Freedom, a former first-round NBA Draft pick in 2011, has become a vocal critic of LeBron James, the Chinese Communist Party, and Nike. He believes his political activism led to him being blacklisted from the NBA. Now, he has announced his intention to join the 2027 WNBA Draft.

This announcement follows Sophie Cunningham’s firm stance on maintaining women’s sports as a female-only space. Despite this, some in the league support the inclusion of male athletes. Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries expressed openness to competing with or against a transgender athlete. Yet, the WNBA has not addressed concerns about maintaining fairness in the league.

In a satirical move, Freedom declared his eligibility for the WNBA Draft, pointing out that the league’s rules on self-identification and inclusion should apply equally to everyone. Riley Gaines, an Outkick contributor, praised this decision, humorously suggesting the possibility of Freedom being recruited by a WNBA team.

Since being waived by the Houston Rockets in 2022, Freedom has not played professionally. He stated that he and his team have reviewed the WNBA’s guidelines, asserting they allow for his draft eligibility in May 2027.

This development draws parallels to Lia Thomas’s situation at UPenn, where Thomas transitioned from competing in men’s to women’s sports. The WNBA now faces pressure to uphold its stated values on inclusivity and equality without discriminating against Freedom.

Freedom emphasized his intentions are not to mock or disrespect any community. He advocates for equal application of the rules that many WNBA figures publicly support. To enforce these guidelines consistently and without bias is his stated goal.

With various players and coaches seemingly supportive of inclusivity in women’s sports, the league must decide how to proceed. If Freedom is eligible but undrafted, it may spark claims of discrimination. Conversely, restricting participation to females could challenge the league’s liberal principles.

This scenario highlights potential inconsistencies within the movement toward inclusivity. The WNBA’s decision on Freedom’s eligibility will test its commitment to its progressive values.