Former NBA player Patrick Beverley has criticized Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White for attempting to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, calling their political campaign disrespectful to women's basketball.
Speaking on his podcast, The Pat Bev Show, Beverley condemned the two former players for using the Women's National Basketball Association to challenge the league's transgender eligibility policy.
The debate over transgender players in women's basketball intensified after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham spoke publicly against the issue. Following her comments, Freedom and White announced plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft as a challenge to current league rules.
Beverley, a vocal advocate for women's basketball, expressed anger at the move, accusing Freedom and White of demeaning the league and its players. He directed specific criticism at Freedom, referencing the fact that Freedom was born in Switzerland, raised in Turkey, and did not move to the United States until he was 17 years old.
"Enes Kanter, Royce White, I don't like what y'all are doing at all," Beverley said on his podcast. "I think y'all disrespecting the brand that showed y'all a lot of respect. I think y'all disrespecting the game of basketball, period. You talk about Enes Kanter; you ain't even from here. You come to another country, they give you $102 million in the NBA."
Beverley added that despite understanding their underlying objective, their approach was wrong. "You've made a name for being in the NBA, and you gonna come in here and say you want to try out for the WNBA? I understand the point y'all are trying to make. What y'all doing, it ain't right," Beverley said. "Regardless of what message y'all trying to get out there, bro, there's a way to do it. It's a hundred ways to skin a cat."
WNBA Eligibility Rules and Draft Declarations
Under the WNBA collective bargaining agreement, eligibility is limited strictly to women. However, the agreement lacks an explicit definition of the term or detailed policies regarding transgender participation, prompting Freedom and White to test the guidelines. WNBA officials have rejected their campaign as a bad-faith effort.
Freedom, who played center for five NBA franchises between 2011 and 2022 including the Boston Celtics, doubled down on his declaration during an interview with former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl for the America First Policy Institute. During the discussion, Freedom stated that he wants to play for the Indiana Fever alongside star guard Caitlin Clark.
Freedom suggested that he and Clark could form a partnership reminiscent of former Los Angeles Lakers stars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who won three consecutive NBA titles together.
"Think about this... We're going down the lane, Caitlin throws me a lob and I cut the lob and dunk the ball," Freedom said. "Then me and Caitlin bump chests... which I'm allowed to do now, because I'm a woman."
Social Media Warnings and League Criticism
Freedom continued his campaign on social media while watching Clark's Fever defeat the Atlanta Dream last weekend, issuing a warning on X to Angel Reese.
"Sis! Once I go No. 1 pick in the 2027 @WNBA Draft, the first player I'm dunking on is Angel Reese," Freedom wrote.
During the same interview, Freedom criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, claiming the league is "still trying to figure out what a woman is" ahead of an upcoming meeting on the issue.
"It's been around for 30 years," Freedom said. "So think about how disrespectful that statement to all the players that have played in the league, in their history."
Freedom insisted that his actions are not intended to mock the league or its players, urging fans and observers to take his message seriously.
"What my campaign stands for is different than what any other player is doing," Freedom said. "I have said before, I'm not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any group or personal decisions. What I'm doing is bigger than getting clicks and attention. I don't want this whole thing to turn into a laughing stock. I want people to take our message seriously."
