Enes Kanter Freedom is hell-bent on forcing the WNBA to rewrite its eligibility criteria – and according to him, as many as eight former NBA and G League players have reportedly agreed to declare themselves for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
Freedom made his stance clear on the WNBA’s eligibility criteria when he earlier filed paperwork to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. He insisted that if gender self-identification is enough to establish eligibility, the league should have no problem letting him play.
Soon after, citing wording in the league’s CBA, ex-NBA player Royce White filed his own complaint and even threatened legal action. Although the agreement states that only women may compete in the WNBA, it makes no mention of biological sex or gender identity.
That wording may now have cracked open the league’s eligibility rules and is posing new challenges as more and more retired NBA players prepare to throw their hats in the ring ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft. Freedom revealed that he has spoken to eight other professional athletes who have expressed interest in joining him in the 2027 WNBA Draft.
In an X (formerly Twitter) post on August 18, 2026, the former NBA center said that he has had conversations with three European players, three G League players, and two former NBA players who are ready to follow suit.
“Now listen to me very carefully,” the former third overall pick said in the X clip. “So far, I have spoken with two former NBA players, three G-League players, and three European players. They have all said that if the WNBA won’t change the rules, we are ready to join the movement, and we are considering coming out as women and putting our names in the 2027 WNBA draft.”
Now, one may wonder why these aforementioned players would join the women’s league. Freedom said, “Hear me out. The NBA G League pays players $45,000 a year, while the WNBA top players earn $1.4 million. Those men could earn an extra $1,355,000 a year by just identifying as women. Rules are rules.”
Go ahead and name them if they said that
— mikal bridges lover (@redhead_og) August 18, 2026
Freedom has yet to reveal the identity of the eight players, and no credible independent source or news agency has confirmed his claim. Moreover, none of the athletes has officially confirmed that they are considering joining the 2027 WNBA Draft.
The underlying reason for the issue creating a huge cloud over the WNBA was Sophie Cunningham’s statements, in which she explained her stance on transgender women entering the women’s league, or even playing alongside young girls. The Indiana Fever guard believed it would not be fair or safe for biological women, but Freedom, with his recent antics, has taken the case a step further.
The former Boston Celtics center has since maintained that he is not acting in a way that is hostile to the transgender community. However, the 34-year-old self-declared human rights activist wants the WNBA and its commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, to clarify who is eligible to play and what the league’s eligibility criteria are.
In his X post, Freedom noted the typical G League player gets $45,000 per year, compared to the $1.4 million paid to elite WNBA players. He sees the pay gap as sufficient motivation for athletes to self-identify as women and compete in the league. What started with Freedom and White has grown, Kanter claims, as more players are allegedly willing to join his fight to push the WNBA and its decision-makers.
Reacting to Freedom’s latest post, WNBA fans challenged him, writing, “Go ahead and name them if they said that.” Another user chimed in, “Name those former players. They’re just going to lose any respect from real players anyways.”
A third user commented, “Jesus… never seen a washed athlete this desperate for attention 😂 Have you had a look how many men have joined the WNBA? Cause the only ones threatening to do so, so far, are 2 washed players desperate for a shred of attention.”
“The fact that you had an 11 year NBA career, and are only in contact with 2 former NBA players tells me a lot,” quipped another.
