Nine-year NBA veteran PG slams Enes Kanter and Royce White’s WNBA Draft declaration
Former NBA veterans Enes Kanter and Royce White declared their entry into the 2026 WNBA Draft to exploit the league’s ambiguous eligibility rules. Their declaration came as part of a larger movement to limit the inclusion of trans athletes into women’s sports, specifically the WNBA, after Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham raised the same issue.
Enes Kanter and Royce White, both veteran NBA players, have declared their intent to enter the 2026 WNBA Draft, exploiting the league's unclear eligibility rules. This move is part of a broader campaign to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports, particularly the WNBA, following Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham's similar declaration.
Both Kanter and White faced criticism from their former NBA teammates, most notably Ty Lawson, who dismissed their actions as "weird." Kanter, selected third overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, had a 11-year career averaging 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds. White, picked 16th in the 2012 Draft, only played three games due to anxiety issues and a fear of flying.
Despite the former NBA players having slim chances of being drafted, Kanter and White's declaration raises legal concerns about their eligibility. The WNBA's Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, has promised to clarify the issue, but emphasized it might take some time.
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