WNBA tells Congress that Enes Kanter Freedom, Royce White are both men in eligibility dispute

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Republican lawmakers that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to play in the league because they are "both men," responding to a congressional inquiry without supplying the definition of "women" that lawmakers had requested.

"With respect to your questions regarding eligibility, only women are eligible to play in the WNBA and the individuals you cite in your letter are both men," Engelbert wrote in the Oct. 16 response. The letter, which is dated Oct. 16, was provided to OutKick by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), which represents Freedom.

The letter answered a Sept. 17 inquiry from Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and four other House Republicans about eligibility, player safety and confrontations with fans. Freedom and White had announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft while saying they identify as women.

GOP CONGRESSMAN PRESSES WNBA TO DEFINE WOMEN AFTER ENES KANTER FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE RULED INELIGIBLE

The lawmakers asked how the league defines "women" under Article XIII, Section 1(a) of its collective bargaining agreement, and why the two former NBA players had been deemed ineligible. That provision of the 2026 agreement states: "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." It does not define the term in that eligibility provision.

Stutzman welcomed Engelberts statement as an acknowledgment of a distinction based on biological sex.

"The WNBA has just taken the first step in defining what a woman is for the sports community," Stutzman said in a statement.

"By clearly labeling Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White as men they have acknowledged that identifying as a woman does not change basic human biology."

WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT SENDS TRANS INCLUSION MEMO AFTER ENES FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Engelberts letter did not announce a new eligibility rule or spell out a broader policy governing transgender athletes.

Freedom, meanwhile, argued that the response left unanswered the central question of what standards the WNBA applies when deciding who qualifies to compete.

"Cathy Engelbert cannot clearly define what a woman is, but she's absolutely certain that I'm a man," Freedom told OutKick. "I mean, how does that make sense? Who gets to decide? Who has the authority to determine whether someone is a woman?"

"So if the league is still working through these questions, how can its commissioner be so certain about my eligibility without explaining the standards that she's applying?" he added.

Asked whether he believed Engelbert had misgendered him in her letter to Congress, Freedom answered, "Yes, 100%."

"I just want her to respect my identity because I am telling you that I identify as a woman," he said.

Freedom said his effort to join the league is intended to push it to adopt an explicit requirement limiting participation to biological females. He acknowledged that determining someones identity and determining eligibility for womens sports may involve different decisions.

"This is bigger than one basketball player," he said. "I mean, who gets to determine someone's identity? The individual, the commissioner, the medical professional, or a committee or a task force?"

"And who gets to determine eligibility to compete in women's category?" he continued. "So those may be different decisions, but the WNBA needs to explain where it draws the line."

The debate over the leagues eligibility standards intensified this summer after