According to sources for Front Office Sports, the WNBA is ruling former Boston Celtics forward Enes Kanter Freedom ineligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Kanter Freedom, who has publicly said that he declares as a woman, was kicked out of a WNBA game on Sunday night in Chicago after an altercation with Chicago Sky player Natasha Cloud. 

His desire to play in the WNBA comes as the WNBA finds itself embroiled in conversations about the definition of a woman, as well as transgender rights. Some, including Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham, have said that transgender people should not be allowed to play in women's sports, while others have said that they should be able to.

The league hasn't taken an official side or declared an official policy. It continues to hold meetings on the subjects. Since Kanter Freedom's quest to play in the league was not immediately embraced, some have called the league out for not being as welcoming as it portrays itself. Others feel that Kanter Freedom is making a mockery of a serious topic for a marginalized community.

Front Office Sports cited WNBA sources as saying that Kanter Freedom's declaration is a "publicity stunt." Former NBA player Royce White is also being ruled ineligible for the draft. 

Now 34, he spent 11 seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Celtics. At 6-foot-10, he averaged 11.2 points per game and received votes for NBA Sixth Man of the Year in four different seasons.

He was with the Celtics twice, in 2019-20 and in 2021-22. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in February 2022, so he did not participate in the team's run to the NBA Finals, where Boston lost to the Golden State Warriors.

He never suited up for the Rockets; he was released four days after the trade.

At his best, he was a solid rebounder and tough interior presence. He was with the Celtics during the 2019-20 COVID playoffs that took place in the NBA bubble. Boston got to the Eastern Conference Finals that season, losing to the Miami Heat.

Miami advanced to the NBA Finals, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kanter Freedom also has a history of activism. He has been a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey, where the former player was raised. He also has criticized China and its stance on human rights, and he has spoken out against the governments of other foreign countries, including Iran and Russia.