Gender Trolls Take On the WNBA
Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have requested to join the WNBA, sparking a debate about gender, biological advantages, and the limits of political trolling in sports. The article argues that their actions are a performative stunt rather than a sincere attempt to compete.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the intensifying culture war surrounding transgender rights and gender identity in professional sports.
Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White obviously don’t belong in women’s basketball.
Enes Kantor Freedom ( Maddie Meyer / Getty ) August 16, 2026, 6 AM ET Share Save Why shouldn’t Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White play women’s basketball? The answer is simple: They’re not female. By all evidence, the two former NBA players have XY chromosomes—White has fathered children—and have been through male puberty. They have significant athletic advantages over female athletes and should not be eligible for the WNBA. To reach this conclusion, I don’t need to peer into the pair’s souls to see whether they’re pink or blue, nor do I need to decide whether they are sincerely applying for the WNBA draft or just trolling.
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