Enes Kanter Freedom, the former NBA center, announced that he has filed to declare for the 2027 WNBA draft, the top professional women's basketball league in the world.
Kanter Freedom shared the news in a video posted to Instagram. He said the document should be accepted by the Women's National Basketball Association as his official written notification of his voluntary decision to enter the player pool for the 2027 WNBA draft.
The 34-year-old Turkish center was drafted into the NBA in 2011 by the Utah Jazz. He now wants to go through the same process with the WNBA.
Kanter Freedom on his eligibility
Explaining his decision a few days earlier, Kanter Freedom said that after careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility regulations, he was officially declaring his candidacy for the WNBA. He said that if the only requirement is to declare who you are, then he meets every qualification necessary to play in the league.
Anticipating backlash
Kanter Freedom acknowledged that his move is expected to provoke reactions. He said his goal, in his own words, is not to mock or insult any community. He said he knows his presence on the court will cause strong reactions, but added that he is not there to mock, ridicule or show disrespect toward any community or personal choice.
