Enes Kanter Freedom started a much bigger conversation when he declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
Whether Kanter Freedom will ever actually play in the WNBA remains a completely different question, but he now has a notable supporter in his corner. Republican politician Lauren Boebert has publicly backed his campaign.
Lauren Boebert Wants Enes Kanter Freedom To Play in the WNBA
In a recent short interview with TMZ, Boebert was asked whether she sees Kanter Freedom as a hero for taking on the WNBA or simply as someone seeking attention.
In her response, Boebert sided with Kanter Freedom and said she believes he is helping expose what she described as the “idiocy” surrounding the league’s handling of the issue.
“I think he is calling the idiocy out,” she said. “You know when he was like on the WNBA floor and you, these female players, were going after him. This is like quite a catfight.”
The Colorado congresswoman then went a step further, claiming she is willing to bet on Kanter Freedom and hopes he actually gets the opportunity to enter the WNBA.
“I am gonna bet on his games. I hope he gets in,” Boebert added.
Rep. Lauren Boebert tells @jacob_wass she wants Enes Kanter in WNBA, says she’d bet on him. 🏀 pic.twitter.com/6qNXardroM
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 1, 2026
Boebert also argued that the WNBA needs to provide a clear definition of who qualifies as a woman for the league.
“Well, it’s very simple. Have the WNBA tell us what a woman is. Have them define it, and then we won’t have this issue,” Boebert further added.
Still, Kanter Freedom’s path into the WNBA remains far from certain. Reports from late August said league sources considered both Kanter Freedom and Royce White ineligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
One league source described their declarations as “publicity stunts” and said the WNBA did not want to encourage attempts to mock the league or turn the issue into a manufactured controversy.
At the same time, the league has not publicly laid out a detailed policy explaining transgender eligibility in the WNBA. That lack of a clear public framework has kept the debate going, with Kanter Freedom continuing to challenge the league over its position.
Moreover, the former NBA player is not backing down. On August 31, he took his campaign directly to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league’s task force in a post on X. He proposed what he called a “peace summit” with Caitlyn Jenner serving as the moderator.
Kanter Freedom presented himself as someone seeking a conversation rather than a fight and called on the WNBA to address the controversy publicly rather than rely on private discussions and prepared statements. He also accused the league of turning the WNBA into a “laughingstock.”
“WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA task force, I am now speaking directly to you. I’m going to keep this short and sweet, so open your ears and listen carefully. I would like to offer you a peace summit, moderated by my friend Caitlyn Jenner. I’ve already spoken with her, and yes, she’s in.”
“I’m not a troublemaker. I’m more of a peacemaker. Listen, the whole world is laughing at you. You have turned the WNBA into a laughingstock. It’s time to stop hiding behind closed-door meetings, excuses, and delays and finally give the public a clear answer. Let’s have the peace summit. No shouting. No hiding. No carefully scripted statements,” Kanter said in the video that he posted.
Now, the question is whether the WNBA will respond to the former Boston Celtics’ star’s latest challenge.
