Enes Kanter Freedom has been away from the NBA for more than four years, but on Friday, he unexpectedly found himself back in the middle of one of basketball’s biggest conversations. This time, it wasn’t because of a comeback attempt or a new team. It was because he announced that he was declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft.

The former Boston Celtics centre posted a long message on X and claimed that he studied the eligibility guidelines of the WNBA before making the decision to come out publicly. Freedom stated that he did not intend to offend or mock anyone. He added that he wanted to see whether the WNBA would consistently enforce its own rules, so his comments became the latest example of the controversy over transgender athletes in women’s sports.

“After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I’m officially declaring myself a @WNBA prospect,” Freedom wrote. Later in the post, he added, “I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I’m simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone.”

Freedom said he and his team had carefully reviewed the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification before making the announcement. “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA,” he wrote, adding that he was publicly declaring himself eligible for the April 2027 draft because he believed the league should apply its stated principles consistently.

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He also admitted that the move would spark strong reactions.

“I know my presence on the court will stir up strong opinions,” Freedom wrote before repeating that he was “not here to mock” anyone or disrespect personal choices. According to the former NBA center, the goal was simply to ask whether the same rules would be applied consistently to everyone.

Freedom has been voicing his opinion on political and social matters actively since he left the NBA. He has been posting on social media against different organizations or policies in which he did not support. The site linked to his posting does not include any WNBA draft application or legal documents regarding his statements.

So can Enes Freedom actually enter the WNBA Draft?

That question quickly became the biggest point of discussion after Freedom’s post went viral.

But declaring for the draft on social media isn’t the same as officially entering it. Under the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, eligible players must complete the league’s formal declaration process and submit the required paperwork directly to the league office.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement also states that “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” while the league has not published a separate public policy detailing medical or hormonal requirements for transgender women.

There is also no indication that Freedom has submitted official draft paperwork to the league. The WNBA has not acknowledged receiving an application from him, while Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and league officials have not publicly commented on the announcement.

His announcement also didn’t happen in a vacuum. Over the past two weeks, transgender participation in women’s sports has become one of the biggest conversations around the WNBA. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham recently said her focus was on protecting fairness in women’s sports and locker rooms. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve later wore a “trans kids belong” shirt during a game, while Golden State Valkyries guard Gabby Williams said she would welcome a transgender athlete on either her own team or the opposition. Freedom’s announcement arrived just a day after Williams’ comments, adding another voice to a debate that has continued to divide opinions across the basketball community.

The discussion grew even bigger after political commentator Benny Johnson shared Freedom’s post and claimed the America First Policy Institute would represent him if the WNBA rejected his bid. There has also been no official announcement from the America First Policy Institute confirming it would represent Freedom. There is also no evidence that the WNBA has ever issued an official statement saying it would welcome “biological males” into the league. Instead, the claim appears to stem from a misrepresentation of Gabby Williams’ personal comments rather than any official league position.

For now, Freedom’s declaration remains exactly that: a public statement on social media. No official draft paperwork has been filed, the WNBA has not responded publicly, and there is no indication that the league has taken any administrative action. Whether that changes in the coming months remains to be seen, but Freedom has already succeeded in putting himself back at the center of one of basketball’s most closely watched discussions.