WNBA Commissioner denies eligibility for Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has officially informed U.S. Congressional representatives that Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to play in the league because they are men. This response follows inquiries from five Republican members of the House, including Representative Marlin Stutzman, regarding the eligibility of individuals who identify as women and the league's definition of ‘female’ under its 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

While Engelbert clarified that only women can play in the WNBA and categorized the two individuals as men, the league did not provide a formal biological definition of ‘woman’ as requested by lawmakers. This lack of a specific definition has become a point of contention. Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player, has challenged the decision, questioning who holds the authority to determine gender identity—whether it be the individual, medical professionals, or a governing committee.

Kanter Freedom stated that his challenge aims to force the league to explicitly define eligibility based on biological sex. The debate follows previous discussions within the WNBA regarding transgender participation and online harassment, as well as public comments from players regarding the exclusion of transgender women from female sports.