Kanter Freedom Says WNBA Unprepared for Challenge After Declaring for Draft Over Trans Athlete Policy

Activist and basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom announced Saturday that he intends to enter the WNBA Draft, declaring the league is fundamentally unprepared to address its lack of clarity on gender eligibility requirements. Freedom’s move follows public support from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has vocally opposed transgender women competing against cisgender female athletes in professional sports.

Speaking on Fox News Channel’s “My View with Lara Trump,” Freedom asserted he would become “the best draft pick in WNBA history” and criticized major WNBA figures for endorsing transgender inclusion. He specifically cited Golden State Valkyries star Gabby Williams and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who wore a shirt reading “trans kids belong,” as evidence that league leadership has not established biological or sex-based eligibility standards.

Freedom highlighted that other major sports organizations have explicitly added “biological female” or “born female” language to their collective bargaining agreements, while the WNBA maintains no such specifications. He challenged the league to clarify its position, saying: “The WNBA has no idea what they’re about to face. They’re still trying to figure out what a woman is.”

The WNBA convened league officials to discuss the transgender athlete question and subsequently issued a statement indicating ongoing conversations while criticizing media coverage for creating division. Cunningham told ESPN she received backlash for her stance but emphasized protecting female athletes in competitive and locker room settings from competing against transgender women.

Freedom praised Cunningham as an “American hero,” noting that her position has garnered international support from female athletes worldwide. Supporters have organized multiple rallies outside WNBA games, including one before the Indiana Fever’s matchup against the New York Liberty on Saturday.