CALGARY — French transgender basketball player Julie Tétart has reportedly declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft. A report published Monday said Tétart had reportedly followed the lead of former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who announced earlier this month that he intended to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft.The possibility of a move to the WNBA first gained attention earlier this month after Tétart was asked about the prospect of playing in the league."If they contact me, I won't say no," Tétart said to French sports newspaper L'Équipe, while also acknowledging the difficulty of making the jump from French second-tier basketball to the WNBA.Tétart, 34, plays for Monaco Basket Association in France's second-tier Ligue Féminine 2 and had a standout 2025-26 season, averaging 21.2 points and 20.2 rebounds per game over 25 regular-season appearances, according to statistics published by the French basketball league.Tétart publicly came out as transgender in 2021 and returned to competitive basketball in 2024 following their transition..The comments came amid a wider debate about transgender athletes in the WNBA. Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham had previously drawn attention for comments about transgender athletes in women's sports, while Kanter Freedom later announced his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft.Kanter Freedom, a former NBA centre, has said he intends to challenge the league's eligibility rules by declaring for the draft. Former NBA player Royce White has also entered the discussion.The WNBA's existing draft rules contain requirements beyond simply submitting a declaration. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, domestic players generally must meet age and college-eligibility requirements, while the agreement contains separate provisions for players who attended four-year colleges and for international players.The WNBA has also addressed the broader controversy surrounding transgender participation.In a statement, the league described recent efforts to provoke controversy over transgender athletes as "bad-faith" efforts and said there were no current eligibility issues involving transgender players. The league said it remained committed to fair competition and respectful discussion..The WNBA's eligibility rules state that only players who are women are eligible to play in the league.For now, there is no indication that Tétart has been selected by a WNBA team, and the reported declaration itself remains unconfirmed by the player.
