RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Credit: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
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.
Kanter and White’s former NBA peers are not looking kindly on their move, with a cult-favourite point guard joining Robin Lopez in criticising Kanter and White’s decision.
Enes Kanter and Royce White deemed ‘weird’ by Ty Lawson
Ty Lawson was drafted No. 18 in 2009 and enjoyed a nine-year NBA career as a role-player who was a fan favourite. Lawson slammed Kanter and White on X for what they’re doing to the WNBA.
“These ex-NBA players declaring that they’re women and trying to get in the 2027 draft is F– weird!!!!”
Kanter was the No. 3 pick in a loaded 2011 NBA Draft, averaging 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds over an 11-year NBA career, which saw him play for the Jazz, Thunder, Knicks, Blazers, and Celtics.
White was drafted No. 16 in the 2012 NBA Draft, but played just three games in his NBA career after his career was sidetracked because of anxiety issues and a fear of flying.
Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images
Kanter enjoyed a decent career, but well below the standards of the No. 3 pick in the Draft. With Kanter still being 34 years old, his playing in the WNBA can create a competitive problem if it goes through.
No team is likely going to draft either player, even if they find a way to get their names in the Draft, but in that situation, Kanter or White will likely create more legal issues over their non-drafted status.
The only way the WNBA can move on from this is by changing the vocabulary of their CBA to define what a woman is, something that is Kanter and White’s actual intention behind their declaration.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has already confirmed that all relevant stakeholders will be clarifying the issue as soon as possible, but warned that it might take a while.
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