# Congressman demands WNBA clarify 'women' eligibility

> Congressman presses WNBA to define 'women' after two ex-NBA players claim eligibility for draft
- Title: Congressman demands WNBA clarify 'women' eligibility · OutKick
- Summary: Congressman presses WNBA to define 'women' after two ex-NBA players claim eligibility for draft WNBA must define 'women' for eligibility rules to address…
- Keywords: enes kanter freedom, royce white, wnba draft, cathy engelbert, marlin stutzman, house financial services committee, collective bargaining agreement, sophie cunningham, dijonai carrington, tiffany hayes, natasha cloud, news
- Source: OutKick — https://foxnews.com/outkick-sports/gop-congressman-presses-wnba-define-women-enes-kanter-freedom-royce-white-ruled-ineligible
- Author: Amber Harding
- Published: 2026-09-17T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: enes kanter freedom, royce white, wnba draft, cathy engelbert, marlin stutzman, house financial services committee, collective bargaining agreement, sophie cunningham, dijonai carrington, tiffany hayes, natasha cloud, news
## Congressman questions WNBA definition
Rep. Marlin Stutzman demands WNBA clarify how it defines 'women' for eligibility rules

> How does the WNBA define 'women' for purposes of Article XIII, Section 1(a) of its collective bargaining agreement?
## Ex-NBA players seek draft entry
Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announced they identify as women and plan to enter the 2027 WNBA draft

> Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White later announced that they identified as women and planned to enter the 2027 WNBA draft
## League rules on eligibility
WNBA collective bargaining agreement states only women are eligible but does not define the term

> The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement says that 'only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA'
## Player safety concerns
Congressman cites recent incidents involving player safety and fan confrontations

> The lawmakers point to Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington's Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham
## Fan confrontation incident
Natasha Cloud confronted Enes Kanter Freedom during an August game at Wintrust Arena

> Former basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom and Natasha Cloud yell at one another during a game
## League's response timeline
WNBA commissioner must answer eligibility questions by October 16, 2025

> The lawmakers ask Engelbert to answer four questions by October 16
## Key takeaway

WNBA must define 'women' for eligibility rules to address player safety and inclusivity concerns