Overview
- Ex‑NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have publicly declared intentions to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, and White submitted a formal, counsel‑signed notice to the league that says he identifies as a transgender woman.
- The 2026 WNBA–WNBPA collective bargaining agreement says “only players who are women are eligible” but does not define what that means, and the league’s Player Personnel Department must review any draft application before adding a person to the official entrant list.
- Kanter has posted that he has spoken with additional male professional players who say they are willing to identify as women to enter the draft, a claim that has not been independently verified but raises the prospect of further tests of the rule.
- Video of two men in drag declaring for the draft and repeated pro‑ and anti‑Cunningham rallies at games have produced viral moments, prompted arena security responses, and increased concerns about fan safety and the league’s reputation.
- The WNBA and the WNBPA have convened task forces and listening sessions, described many challenges as bad‑faith, and so far made no change to Article XIII; the next key developments will be the league’s eligibility rulings on any formal applications and any resulting legal or labor disputes.