Enes Kanter Freedom jumps into the WNBA affair yet again amid the Game 7 thriller. The Golden State Valkyries have completed a remarkable rise, winning the 2026 WNBA championship in just their second season. Their Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Dream should have left the spotlight firmly on the players and their historic achievement. Instead, former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom used the end of the season to reignite his dispute with the league.
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He issued a statement that praised its players while taking another shot at its leadership.
“I’m so proud of all these hardworking, talented women who have dedicated their lives to basketball. They deserve all the recognition, respect, and support in the world. I just wish they had better leadership,” Freedom said in a statement he issued to Fox reporter Jackson Thompson.
He made it clear that his disagreement with the WNBA remains unresolved.
“The conversation should be about their incredible performances on the court, not controversies off it. My hope is that next year we can finally have some peace and let basketball be the focus again. But if not, I’ll see you, ladies, at the 2027 WNBA Draft. Rules are rules!”
The closing line was a reference to Freedom’s repeated threat to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
Enes Kanter Freedom’s argument centers on the league’s player eligibility rules and his demand for stricter biological sex requirements. The statement therefore served two purposes: congratulating the athletes while making clear that he intends to continue challenging the league.
Freedom’s dispute with the WNBA intensified during the 2026 season.
In August, the officials reportedly ejected him from Wintrust Arena following a courtside confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud, which led to a ban from the venue. Tensions continued during the Finals, when a security dispute in Atlanta reportedly prevented him from sitting courtside for Game 3. Freedom objected to being directed to a private suite.
His proposed draft entry is tied to Article XIII of the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which addresses eligibility for women players. Freedom argues that the wording lacks a sufficiently specific biological definition and has used that position to demand changes to the league’s policy.
However, his interpretation does not establish that he is eligible to play in the WNBA, and his declaration threat remains a challenge rather than an accepted draft application.
Meanwhile, the Valkyries had their own history to celebrate.
Their 68–63 Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Dream secured the franchise’s first championship. Notably, the expansion team reached the summit in only its second season.
However, Enes Kanter Freedom’s final line suggests the dispute is unlikely to disappear before the 2027 Draft.