WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has rejected former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom’s bid to join the league under his stated identity as a woman.
Freedom, who spent 11 seasons in the NBA before adopting the name Enes Kanter Freedom, criticised the WNBA’s leadership for misgendering him while failing to establish transparent regulatory boundaries.
While Freedom has not admitted the bid is a stunt, it appears to be a deliberate challenge to the league’s eligibility rules, forcing officials to publicly clarify their position.
Critics have pointed to the commissioner’s stance as evidence of policy double standards ahead of leadership changes scheduled for late 2026.
This story has been republished with permission from RCR Bites. For news like this direct and free to your Inbox every day, go to biteme.news to sign up for RCR Bites.
If you are a media outlet interested in republishing RCR Bites stories, please contact inbox@rcr.media.
