Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, two former National Basketball Association players who sought entry into the WNBA's 2027 draft, are not eligible to play in the women's basketball league, according to sources linked to the league cited on Monday.
Kanter Freedom, who played in the NBA for more than a decade starting in 2011, and White, who spent one season in the league, had announced their intention to join the WNBA, saying they are transgender women.
The sources described the move as an attempt to sow division within the WNBA and draw attention to themselves, amid a wave of national controversy over repeated efforts by United States President Donald Trump to ban transgender women from women's sports. Reuters was unable to immediately reach Kanter Freedom or White for comment.
WNBA has no set policy on trans athletes
There are currently no openly transgender players active in the WNBA, and the league does not have a specific, publicly announced policy on the participation of transgender athletes. The WNBA is holding ongoing discussions with stakeholders on the issue.
The debate intensified after comments made last month by Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham in an interview with ESPN. Cunningham, a former second-round draft pick, said she wanted to protect young girls in locker rooms, and young girls in sport generally, who she said should not have to compete against biological men.
Cunningham's remarks split fans
Her comments angered longtime supporters of the league, who tend to lean more progressive politically, while others backed Cunningham, with demonstrations of support appearing outside Fever games.
The players' union, the Women's National Basketball Players Association, issued a statement this month saying its members would not be used as political pawns. The union said hatred, abuse and demonization of any person or group, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division and harm.
Kanter Freedom says he was ejected from Fever game
Kanter Freedom said on social media on Sunday that he was ejected from a game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after getting into a verbal altercation with Natasha Cloud, the WNBA's assists leader in 2022.
