Enes Kanter Freedom declares himself a WNBA prospect and asks for equal application of eligibility rules
Enes Kanter Freedom says he meets current WNBA eligibility rules and will declare for the April 2027 draft, prompting debate over inclusion and self-identification.
Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom announced on August 7, 2026 that he plans to declare himself a prospect for the WNBA draft, saying he has reviewed the league’s eligibility rules and believes he meets them.
In a statement and social-media post, Kanter framed the move as a test of the WNBA’s current guidelines on self-identification and inclusion, and said he expects the league to apply its rules “consistently and without exceptions.”
Debate over transgender and eligibility rules
“I’m officially declaring myself a @WNBA prospect,” Kanter wrote in his tweet. “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.” He also said his team had studied the league’s eligibility criteria and that he would enter the April 2027 draft.
Kanter acknowledged the announcement would be controversial: “I am aware that my appearance on the court will be controversial. I am not here to mock, deride or disrespect anyone’s identity or personal choices. I am simply asking that the existing rules be applied equally to everyone,” he said.
He added that he and his advisers will push for uniform application of the guidelines. “My team and I will make sure these guidelines are applied equally, consistently and without exceptions. I expect the WNBA to uphold its principles. See you at training camp,” Kanter wrote.
Photo: press material from the event
