The first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history was always going to carry more than a trophy’s worth of meaning. For Enes Kanter Freedom, it also became another stage for a familiar argument: praise the players, question the leadership, and keep pressure on the league’s eligibility rules.
On Saturday, the Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 at Chase Center in San Francisco to win their first championship in their second season. Afterward, Freedom praised the players and said the conversation should have been about their performance, not the off-court dispute around him.
“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,” Freedom said. He added, “I just wish they had better leadership, because 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.”
Then came the warning that keeps his campaign alive. “But if not, I’ll see you ladies at the 2027 WNBA Draft. Rules are rules!” he said.
What the dispute is really about
Freedom’s push is tied to the WNBA’s eligibility language in the 2026 collective bargaining agreement, and it is not happening in a vacuum. In May, Gabby Williams said, “I would welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team, anytime.” In August, Freedom announced his draft bid and said he identifies as a woman. In September, Rep. Marlin Stutzman led an inquiry seeking the league’s definition of “women.”
On Oct. 16, Cathy Engelbert wrote that “only women are eligible to play in the WNBA” and identified Freedom as a man. The reported in October that no transgender woman had played in the WNBA.
That is why Freedom’s latest comments matter beyond the immediate headlines. He is not just reacting to a championship game. He is using the moment to renew a challenge to how the league defines eligibility, while keeping the 2027 WNBA Draft in the center of the debate.
The timing also matters because the league had just delivered a landmark Finals, one that ended with a first championship and a first Game 7 in series history. In that setting, Freedom’s praise for the players landed alongside another attempt to redirect attention toward a rules dispute the WNBA has already answered publicly.
For now, the basketball story belongs to the Valkyries and their title run. But Freedom’s comments ensured the off-court fight did not disappear with the final buzzer.
