\n Position \n Age \n Height \n Weight \n Birth place The shocking announcements came within hours of each other, with both former NBA players using their planned draft entries to question the rules surrounding eligibility in women’s professional basketball.<\/p>\n Enes Freedom announces WNBA Draft intentions <\/p>\n Freedom, who spent 11 seasons in the NBA, made his announcement Friday through social media.<\/p>\n “After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I’m officially declaring myself a WNBA prospect,” Freedom wrote.<\/p>\n The former NBA center argued that the league’s eligibility rules should be applied consistently, questioning how gender eligibility would be determined in practice.<\/p>\n “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA,” he added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Freedom was selected by the Utah Jazz with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He went on to play 748 regular-season games for the Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-10 big man finished his NBA career averaging 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He last appeared in the league during the 2021-22 season.<\/p>\n Royce White follows Freedom <\/p>\n Hours later, another former first-round pick announced similar intentions.<\/p>\n Royce White, whom the Houston Rockets selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, wrote on X that he also intends to enter next year’s draft.<\/p>\n “I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I’ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well,” White said in an announcement posted on Fox News’ social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I think I’d be unstoppable. But I’m a team-first guy. I’m a pass-first kind of player. I do the little things. I led my team in all five major stat categories at Iowa State University, so I do a little bit of everything. I’ll do whatever the coach needs me to do. I’ll do whatever the girls need me to do…”<\/p>\n “I think it’s only fair,” he added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Unlike Freedom, White’s NBA career was extremely brief. After being drafted by Houston, he never appeared in a regular-season game for the Rockets and ultimately played only three NBA games, all with the Sacramento Kings during the 2013-14 season.<\/p>\n White later continued his career outside the NBA, including successful spells in Canada’s NBL and appearances in the BIG3.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n If you like our content, please click here<\/a> and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Enes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-332238-plsm.jpg\")
\n <\/a><\/p>\n
\n PF, C\n <\/p>\n
\n 34\n <\/p>\n
\n 211 cm\n <\/p>\n
\n 121 kg\n <\/p>\n
\n Zurich, Switzerland\n <\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/bn-plus.png\")
<\/p>\n