Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom officially declared his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA draft on Friday, August 7. His statement follows growing public discussions around gender identity and participation policies in women’s professional sports. The 11-year NBA veteran, who legally added “Freedom” to his name in November 2021 after obtaining U.S. citizenship, claims his decision follows an examination of the league’s official eligibility rules with his management team. Freedom insists that if self-identification forms the main basis for participation, he fulfills all necessary criteria to enter the upcoming draft.
Enes Kanter Freedom reacts to Sophie Cunningham and league eligibility rules
Taking to X on Friday, Enes Kanter Freedom addressed the ongoing league debate that recently intensified after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham spoke out regarding transgender athletes competing against biological females in women’s sports. While several league figures, such as Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, either condoned or pushed back against Cunningham’s rhetoric, athletes like former college swimmer Riley Gaines expressed strong support. Aligning himself with Cunningham’s perspective, Freedom offered a sarcastic take on the situation, writing on X:“After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I’m officially declaring myself a @WNBA prospect.”He followed up by explaining his team’s breakdown of the framework, posting:“If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.”Freedom emphasized that his representatives thoroughly examined the league rules regarding self-identification. Moving forward with his declaration, he stated:“Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027.”He clarified that he does not intend to disrespect anyone, writing:“I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices.”Instead, Freedom demanded that league guidelines be applied uniformly to everyone, concluding:“My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally, consistently, and without exception, and I look forward to the #WNBA honoring its stated principles. See you at training camp.”Riley Gaines quoted his post on X, adding:“Genius. Perfect. Waiting to see which WNBA team recruits @EnesFreedom.”
Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom shares his journey from Turkey to American activism
Born in Zürich, Switzerland, to Kurdish and Turkish immigrant parents in May 1992, Enes Kanter Freedom spent his teenage years in Turkey before moving to the United States at age 17 to pursue basketball. Over his 11-year NBA career, he played center for the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Boston Celtics, before a brief trade to the Houston Rockets, where he was waived.Beyond basketball, he gained global recognition for speaking out against human rights issues, including vocal opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and raising awareness for religious minorities in China during 2021.Freedom officially changed his name in November 2021 to mark his U.S. citizenship, even putting “Freedom” on the back of his jersey to highlight free expression. Reflecting on his journey and the decision to adopt the name, he explained:“In America, obviously, people are very blessed to be in this situation. They have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press.”He noted that many citizens across the Middle East, including his home nation of Turkey, lack basic political freedoms without facing harsh government punishment. Having advocated for basic human rights throughout his life, Freedom explained that he chose to integrate the word into his legal identity as a lasting personal commitment to those principles.
