The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) faces mounting criticism after two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, announced their intent to join the league’s draft. Both athletes have been identified by WNBA officials as qualifying under current rules for women’s sports. Freedom, aged 34 and standing at 6 feet 10 inches with a weight of 250 pounds, and White, 35 years old and 6 feet 8 inches at 260 pounds, possess physical attributes significantly larger than most WNBA players.
The league has long defended the inclusion of athletes who identify as female in women’s sports, yet their recent declarations have intensified scrutiny. WNBA player Sophie Cunningham previously stated that women “shouldn’t have to go against” men in sports—a position that has been cited by league officials to justify current policies. The players’ union has promoted principles of “justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion” while condemning terms like “hate, abuse, and demonization.”
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White, who also coaches Cunningham, has called for “deeper, more layered conversations” on the issue, stating that exclusion is not a solution. Royce White, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota, identified as transgender and stated: “I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball.” Enes Kanter Freedom described his stance as seeking freedom from the “socially-constructed gender binary,” asserting that if “simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement.”
The league’s approach to these athletes has raised questions about its consistency and commitment to inclusivity under current rules.