Story perspectives

WNBA Bars Kanter Freedom and Royce White From 2027 Draft

8/25/2026

Summary

WNBA Rejects Ex-Players

The WNBA declared former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White ineligible for the 2027 draft.
The league said its collective bargaining agreement allows only women to compete in the WNBA.
Kanter Freedom and White announced they would identify as women on Aug. 7, prompting the eligibility review.
A league source called the moves a “manufactured controversy” intended to mock the league.

Summary

Fans Urge Lawsuit

Social media users urged discrimination lawsuits against the WNBA over its eligibility decision.
Enes Kanter Freedom, a human-rights activist, appeared on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, host, to deny claims about Sophie Cunningham.
Tweets warned the Department of Justice might file a civil-rights discrimination suit against the league.
A small rally supporting Sophie Cunningham gathered outside Wintrust Arena before the game, while Chicago police reported no altercation reports.

History

Historical Context

Congress passed Title IX on June 23 1972, expanding the 1964 Civil Rights Act to ban sex discrimination in any federally funded school program. Led by Senator Birch Bayh and Rep. Edith Green, the law spurred women’s college-sport participation to rise from about 30 % in 1972 to 44 % by 2020. The WNBA’s recent ban on former NBA players echoes that original equity goal.

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WNBA Rejects Ex-Players

The WNBA declared former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White ineligible for the 2027 draft.
The league said its collective bargaining agreement allows only women to compete in the WNBA.
Kanter Freedom and White announced they would identify as women on Aug. 7, prompting the eligibility review.
A league source called the moves a “manufactured controversy” intended to mock the league.

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