What started with Sophie Cunningham speaking out about men competing in women’s sports has turned into a much larger controversy surrounding the WNBA. Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom announced he would enter the 2027 W Draft and challenge the league’s rules head-on. This has led the WNBA commissioner to send a league-wide memo to address the situation.

And now former Lakers star Kwame Brown has weighed in, arguing that if Enes Kanter actually made it into the WNBA, the former NBA center would immediately become the best player in the league.

“If he joins the WNBA, he’s going to be the best player in the WNBA right off the rip,” Brown said on his YouTube channel live stream. “I know guys are gonna laugh at him. I can joke about it, but I don’t think I can go through with it. But if he is not joking and he acutally enters the WNBA draft, he’s going to go number 1.

“Any team that is smart is gonna pick him numner 1. Who’s going to guard him? Who’s going to box him out? He’s going to hurt someone on accident.”

Cunningham’s original comments sparked a debate about the direction of women’s sports. Enes Kanter took that debate a step further by putting his own name into the conversation. Hours later, Royce White, a former Houston Rockets first-round pick, followed Kanter and stated his intention of entering the 2027 WNBA draft.

Now Brown, a former No. 1 overall NBA pick who spent years playing against some of the biggest and strongest athletes in the world, is arguing that the physical difference would make the situation impossible to ignore on a basketball court.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to teams on Friday stating that issues regarding transgender participation will be discussed with team presidents and general managers next week.

While she did not name-drop the two NBA players, she stated, “I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”

The WNBA itself seemed divided on its stance on the inclusion of trans athletes. While Cunningham opposed the participation of biological males in women’s sports, others held a different opinion.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, against the Fever, wore a shirt reading “Trans kids belong.”

Even Phoenix Mercury guard Gabby Williams, without any hesitation, stated she’d welcome a transgender athlete on her team and have no problem facing them on the hardwood.

But potentially facing Enes Kanter/Royce White will be a different challenge altogether. That’s why Brown’s message serves as a warning over the current issue, which has become a political situation.