CALGARY — Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are continuing their public challenge of the WNBA’s eligibility rules with a series of videos and promotional material questioning how the league defines who qualifies as a woman.The campaign comes after both former players announced earlier this month that they intended to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, saying they were identifying as women for the purpose of challenging the league’s policies surrounding gender identity and eligibility.The campaign follows a series of public statements and appearances by Kanter Freedom and White challenging the WNBA. Kanter Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, announced earlier this month that he intended to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. White, a former first-round NBA pick, announced shortly afterward that he would do the same.The videos and promotional material associated with the campaign have referenced the question “What is a woman?”, a phrase that has become closely associated with debates over sex, gender identity and participation in women’s sports..Multiple reports said Kanter Freedom and White had been deemed ineligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. Reuters reported Monday that people familiar with the decision confirmed their ineligibility, while noting that the league had not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the decision.Kanter Freedom was also escorted from a WNBA game Sunday following a confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud during the team's game against the Indiana Fever.He was seated along the baseline when Cloud scored with about 1:22 remaining in the third quarter. Following the play, Cloud turned toward Kanter Freedom and began yelling and pointing in his direction.Kanter Freedom stood up and moved toward the court. Security personnel and several Sky players intervened between the two before security escorted him from the arena.Kanter Freedom was wearing a black T-shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”The Chicago Sky subsequently banned Kanter Freedom from Wintrust Arena, the team's home venue, following the incident..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 controversy follows comments from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham about transgender athletes in women's sports, which generated debate both inside and outside the league.
