Overview
- In recent days former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White publicly declared they will seek entry to the 2027 WNBA Draft and Kanter said, without independent verification, that eight other male players have expressed willingness to do the same.
- Video from recent games showed two men in drag on camera saying they identify as women and declaring for the draft, and those clips have circulated widely, raising new public‑relations and security concerns at arenas.
- Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the 2026 WNBA‑WNBPA CBA says “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but the agreement does not define “woman,” and the league has not accepted any draft entries based solely on public declarations.
- The WNBA convened a task force of team presidents and general managers and issued a statement that there are no immediate eligibility matters, while the WNBPA warned against politicizing players and urged careful, union‑led discussions.
- Any formal change would need to be negotiated through collective bargaining, could prompt litigation over medical and privacy issues, and may affect game‑day safety and the daily lives of players and fans as the league develops clearer eligibility procedures.