WNBA Declares Two Former NBA Players Ineligible for 2027 Draft
The WNBA said former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White do not meet eligibility requirements for the 2027 draft, but the league has not disclosed the criteria used.
The Women's National Basketball Association announced that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. The decision was reported by Front Office Sports, citing unnamed league sources, but the league has not provided a public explanation of the eligibility standards applied.
The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement states that only players who are women may be drafted, yet the agreement does not define the term "woman" or address gender identity. Critics have called for the league to clarify whether eligibility is based on biological sex, self-identification, or another set of criteria.
OutKick, a media outlet, requested that the WNBA confirm its position, describe the criteria used to deem Freedom and White ineligible, and explain how the term "woman" is interpreted under the agreement. The league did not respond before the story was published.
"The league has determined that neither Freedom nor White can play," a source told Front Office Sports.
The lack of a detailed response has prompted calls for the WNBA to publish guidance on eligibility before the upcoming draft.