Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom is escalating his campaign against the WNBA’s transgender eligibility policies, this time with a proposal he says could bring one of sports’ most divisive debates into the open. Kanter has publicly challenged WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to participate in what he calls a “peace summit,” a public discussion about the league’s eligibility rules.
According to Kanter, Olympic gold medalist and television personality Caitlyn Jenner has already agreed to serve as moderator if the event takes place. The proposal marks the latest chapter in a controversy that has placed the former NBA veteran at the center of a growing conversation about gender eligibility in women’s sports.
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Kanter takes direct aim at WNBA leadership
In a post on X, Kanter framed the proposed summit as an opportunity for a transparent and respectful discussion rather than another round of private meetings and public statements. “The whole world is laughing at you. You have turned the WNBA into a laughingstock,” Kanter wrote, directing his criticism toward league leadership.
He then called on Engelbert and the league to engage in a public conversation. “Let’s have the peace summit. No shouting. No hiding. No carefully scripted statements,” Kanter added. According to Kanter, Jenner is willing to moderate the discussion, which he believes would allow all sides to address questions surrounding the league’s policies in front of a national audience.
“Let’s sit across the table from each other, have an open and respectful conversation, and address the questions millions of people are asking,” he wrote. As of Monday, the WNBA had not publicly responded to Kanter’s proposal.
A campaign that has drawn national attention
Kanter’s latest challenge is part of a broader campaign he has launched in recent weeks. The former Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder center first drew headlines when he declared himself eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. His argument centered on what he claims is a lack of specificity in the league’s eligibility language regarding biological sex and transgender participation.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement states that players must be women, but Kanter has argued that the policy leaves unanswered questions regarding definitions and eligibility standards. His comments quickly generated reactions across the sports world, with supporters praising his willingness to raise the issue and critics dismissing the effort as a publicity stunt.
The debate intensified further when Kanter attended a game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever wearing a shirt that read: “WOMAN: noun. adult human female.” The appearance ended with Kanter being escorted from Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. He was later informed that he was banned from the venue, a development that only increased media attention surrounding his campaign.