Former NBA player Enes Freedom has publicly criticized Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who suggested that those questioning the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports are attempting to deny the existence of transgender people.
Freedom responded to Reeve’s comments in a social media post, disputing her portrayal of individuals advocating for the exclusion of biological males from women’s athletic competitions.
"Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve should step down immediately. You can’t lead women’s basketball while refusing to stand up for women’s sports. Can someone, for the love of God, please explain to her that: Protecting women’s sports is not an attack on anyone’s existence, nor does it erase a community. Coach, if you truly mean what you just said, then put your hypocrisy aside and prove it by drafting me in the 2027 WNBA Draft," Freedom wrote.
Reeve's Stance on Transgender Community Support
Reeve’s remarks followed the Lynx’s 86-66 victory over the Indiana Fever, which concluded their regular season. The game was notable for concurrent demonstrations outside the arena concerning transgender participation in women’s sports.
"I think that’s probably one of the more meaningful things that would mark the season for me," Reeve stated. "It’s that the transgender community is one that deserves our support, and what is happening in the name of some issues of transgender in sports — it’s really an attack on all transgender community. They don’t want transgender people to exist."
Reeve highlighted that the reaction she received after wearing a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt during an August 2 nationally televised game against Indiana made the gesture a particularly significant moment of her season.
"The amount of communication of people who were affected by something as simple as wearing a T-shirt in support of them and helping them be seen — with the platform that we have in professional sports, it was a small gesture by me," Reeve explained. "It’s something I believe in, obviously, wholeheartedly."
She emphasized the potential positive impact of her actions:
"If I could have helped just one to feel differently about themselves, because for the transgender community this really is about life and death for them. The number of parents of transgender kids that I heard from and how it helped them and their families, it helped their child think differently about themselves and that there is someone in our position, like we have as a leader. To know that there are people out there that believe in them, that they belong."
This marked at least the fourth occasion this season that Reeve addressed the topic of transgender inclusion during WNBA media availability. Her previous comments included discussions following Supreme Court rulings upholding state laws protecting women's and girls' sports, and a defense of transgender participation before a Lynx home game, where she asserted that "every kid has a right to sports" while acknowledging complexities post-puberty.
Sophie Cunningham's Perspective
The four-time WNBA champion coach also engaged in a private conversation with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham before their August 2 game. Cunningham had previously expressed her desire to safeguard girls who should not have to compete against or share locker rooms with biological males, while also stressing that she harbored no animosity toward transgender individuals.
"I think that I am here to extend love," Cunningham shared. "But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men."
Freedom's WNBA Draft Challenge
Freedom had previously entered the WNBA’s transgender debate in August when he announced his intention to join the 2027 WNBA Draft under the name "Enisa Freedom." He stated that this action was designed to test the league’s eligibility criteria, which permit only women to play in the WNBA but do not publicly define eligibility based on biological sex.
The former NBA center has consistently maintained that his initiative is serious and not an attempt to disparage transgender individuals.
"I’m not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any group or anyone’s personal decisions," Freedom stated in an earlier message. "What I’m trying to do is bigger than clicks or attention."
He further distinguished his campaign from actions taken by other former male basketball players who also announced WNBA draft intentions, asserting that his objective had "never been publicity, political theater, cheap attention, or stunts."
Royce White's Satirical Response
Former NBA player Royce White also reacted to Reeve’s recent comments, taking a notably different approach from Freedom. While Freedom offered a direct counter-argument, White issued an overtly satirical statement promoting his female alter ego, "Roysha."
"I appreciate Coach Reeve’s sentiment toward Transgenders," White wrote. "In these increasingly polarized times, it appears a potential source of cultural common ground has emerged ... Kweeen Roysha! Pay is the perfect blend of MAGA and mainstream. I think there’s a real opportunity to create a bridge, because a lot of conservatives nationwide would like to see Roysha play in the WNBA. The Minnesota Lynx would be a perfect home as the new transgender capital of America."
WNBA's Official Position
The WNBA previously stated that there were no immediate transgender eligibility issues affecting the league and condemned what it termed "bad-faith efforts" to demean or marginalize others. No transgender woman has ever played on a WNBA roster. The league’s collective bargaining agreement specifies that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA" but does not publicly offer a more precise definition based on biological sex.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert noted during the season that the league would continue discussions with team leadership and the players’ union, prioritizing competitive integrity, fairness, and inclusion.
