WNBA Deems Former NBA Players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White Ineligible for Draft
- Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible for the WNBA draft, according to a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated...
- The WNBA has not publicly addressed the eligibility filings.
- The new collective bargaining agreement, signed in March, states that only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.
Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible for the WNBA draft, according to a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.
The WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement and Public Silence
The WNBA has not publicly addressed the eligibility filings. A league source told Yahoo Sports that the declarations were viewed as publicity stunts that the organization would not give oxygen to.
The new collective bargaining agreement, signed in March, states that only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA. However, it contains no more specific language regarding gender identity or sex assigned at birth, according to AP reporting.
Wintrust Arena Confrontation and Ejection
The eligibility developments follow an incident at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on August 23, 2026. Kanter Freedom was ejected during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky after sitting along the baseline wearing a black shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”
Late in the third quarter, after Sky guard Natasha Cloud scored inside and a timeout was called, Cloud confronted Kanter Freedom near the court. AP reporting notes that Cloud yelled and pointed at Kanter Freedom, who stood with his arms out and took one step on the court before security and Sky players intervened.
Arena security escorted Kanter Freedom from the court area. He later had a conversation with police officers before departing the venue, as detailed by the Associated Press.
Enes Kanter Freedom via X
I just got kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!
Cloud met with team and league security after the game and did not speak with reporters, according to AP and Yahoo Sports reports. Cloud later posted on Threads, stating that she protects and supports the transgender community.
Rallies, Task Force Meetings, and League Statements
The WNBA has experienced increased public debate regarding transgender participation following comments made by Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham expressed opposition to transgender girls and women competing in female sports categories in an ESPN profile published ahead of the league’s All-Star break, according to the Associated Press.
Prior to the game in Chicago, Kanter Freedom participated in a small rally outside Wintrust Arena in support of Cunningham, as reported by the Associated Press.
Yahoo Sports noted that following an anti-hate task force meeting on August 12, 2026, that included discussions on transgender athletes, the WNBA issued a statement denouncing bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others. Additionally, the WNBA Players Association released a statement declaring it would not be used as political pawns.
Historical Precedent and Current Pipeline Status
No transgender woman has ever played in the WNBA. League sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports that no immediate eligibility matters or NCAA pipeline players are currently pressing the issue.