Two former NBA players say they plan to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft to test the league’s inclusion standards. The WNBA has responded that they are not eligible and characterized the announcements as “publicity stunts,” according to the source article.
The declarations
On August 7, Enes Kanter Freedom posted on X that he intends to be part of the women’s league, asserting that he and his team reviewed the WNBA’s eligibility rules on self-identification and inclusion. “Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027,” he wrote.
The Washington Times reported that on August 17, former NBA player Royce White filed paperwork to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft. White told Fox News Digital, “I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I … sometimes identify as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I’ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well.”
League pushback
The source article states that on Monday the WNBA announced Kanter Freedom and White would not be eligible for the draft and called their declarations “publicity stunts.” According to the same report, both men have said publicly that neither has been contacted directly by the WNBA about their eligibility.
Critics demand a definition
Appearing on “Washington Watch,” Republican Bob Onder of Missouri argued that the WNBA is “trying to have it both ways” regarding whether men can compete in women’s sports. He said the league is avoiding defining “women,” adding that allowing men to compete would be “utterly absurd” in a sport where size and speed matter. These were Onder’s characterizations and opinions during the interview.
The source article reports that the WNBA has no rule specifically banning men who identify as transgender women from playing. It also says the 2026 collective bargaining agreement specifies that only women can play in the WNBA but does not define “woman.” Earlier in August, ESPN reported that the league has not clarified that definition despite requests.
Calls to action from activists
Also on “Washington Watch,” former NFL player Frank Murphy, identified as chair of the Athletes for America Coalition and director of Community Impact at the America First Policy Institute, urged Christians to “step up and step out” and vote, and encouraged men to “protect our women.” Murphy added that people who identify as transgender “need help, not just prayer,” including “mental help.”
