WNBA Tells GOP Inquiry Freedom and White Ineligible as They Are Men

WNBA Commissioner Rejects Draft Inquiries From Congressional Republicans

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated in an October 16 letter to U.S. House Republicans that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to play in the women’s professional basketball league because they are both men, reported. The correspondence responded to a September 17 congressional inquiry led by Representative Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., regarding player eligibility rules and league policies.

Lawmakers Press League on Eligibility and Definitions

Representative Stutzman and four other House Republicans sent a letter to Engelbert demanding an explanation of how the league defines women under Article XIII, Section 1(a) of its collective bargaining agreement, which states that only players who are women are eligible to compete. The lawmakers also questioned why Freedom and White had already been ruled out for the draft. Stutzman posted the full text of Engelbert’s response on social media after receiving it on the October 16 deadline.

According to Fox News, the America First Policy Institute provided the commissioner’s letter to OutKick. Stutzman praised the response for acknowledging biological distinctions, stating that the league had taken a first step in defining womanhood for sports. However, Engelbert did not supply the broader definition of women that lawmakers requested, nor did she announce any new league-wide eligibility rules or transgender policies.

Former NBA Players Pursue Draft Intentions

Freedom, who retired from the NBA in 2022, and White, who left the league in 2014, announced in April their intentions to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft while stating they identify as women. League sources previously characterized those registration attempts to Front Office Sports as publicity stunts. The players’ challenge aims to pressure the WNBA into adopting an explicitly biological definition for female athletes.

Following the release of Engelbert’s letter, Freedom criticized the commissioner in an interview with OutKick, stating that she could not define a woman while remaining certain of his gender. Freedom also stated that he believed Engelbert had misgendered him. On the same day the letter was publicized, Freedom attempted to attend Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. According to ESPN, arena staff offered him a private suite due to security concerns rather than his original seats, and he was escorted out after refusing the private accommodations.

WNBA Works to Protect Players from Online Vitriol

In the concluding remarks of her congressional response, Engelbert emphasized that the WNBA will continue efforts to guarantee player safety and well-being. She highlighted ongoing work to address what she termed a significant amount of hate and vitriol directed at players online and across social media platforms. The public scrutiny surrounding league policies intensified earlier this summer following comments from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham in an ESPN profile regarding the protection of youth sports categories.

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