11-year NBA vet Enes Kanter appears to be ready to return to basketball. But this time it will be in a different capacity.
In a post shared to his social media account on Friday (August 7), Kanter revealed his plans to declare himself eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. The former Boston Celtics big man also said that he and his team "carefully examined" the criteria. And based on the criteria, Kanter believes that he is eligible to compete in the women's league.
Kanter Reveals Plans to Play in The WNBA Next Season
"If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA,"
Kanter also said that he understands that his being in the league may ruffle the feathers of some fans. But his ultimate goal is for the rules to be "applied equally" to everyone.
"I know my presence on the court will stir up strong opinions. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices," his statement added. "I'm simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone — the rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for."
Of course, Kanter's announcement led to a firestorm of reactions on social media.
"This is embarrassing. Be a real man and face fellow men like you," one user wrote in response to Kanter's post.
"The NBA doesn't want you; I would've hoped you'd have better retirement goals than mocking the WNBA," a second user chimed in
"Buddy couldn't make it in the NBA so he had to switch lanes," a third user remarked.
His announcement comes amid the backlash that Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham received. After she said she was not in support of transgender athletes being able to play in the WNBA.
