ENES KANTER FREEDOM: I know the price of silence and won't stop defending women's sports
Enes Kantör Freedom, a former NBA first‑round pick who played 11 seasons in the league, has announced that he intends to enter the 2027 WNBA draft. The former point guard, who last played in the NBA in the 2021‑22 season, said the decision is “the next step” in his lifelong pursuit of fairness in sports. The announcement came during a press conference in New York on Thursday, where Freedom emphasized the importance of protecting competitive opportunities for women and girls.
Freedom’s story is rooted in a complex mix of professional success and personal activism. Born in 1986 in Turkey, he grew up in a country where political dissent can carry serious repercussions. He recalled, “When I was a boy, some kids in my neighborhood once handed me an American flag and a lighter and told me to burn it.” In that moment he asked his mother what to do, and she replied, “Don’t hate anyone before you meet them.” The lesson would shape his approach to the world.
After being selected 12th overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Freedom enjoyed a solid career that included stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers. In 2010, he became the first Turkish player to win an NBA championship when the Lakers took the title that season. During his years in the United States, he became a naturalized citizen in 2015 and changed his surname from “Kantör” to “Freedom.” He said the name change was “not just an abstract idea,” but a reflection of “what life looks like when it disappears.”
Freedom’s platform expanded beyond the hardwood. In 2013, he began speaking publicly about human rights abuses in his native Turkey, criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. The Turkish authorities retaliated: they revoked his passport, issued arrest warrants, and placed a $500,000 bounty on him. His father was imprisoned for a short time, and the family endured financial and emotional pressure. Freedom described the experience as a “cost” that came with “the right to challenge institutions.”
He also used his visibility to protest Chinese policies toward Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kong residents, and other minorities. In 2018, he wore shoes emblazoned with anti‑C‑P‑C slogans during NBA games. He said he knew “there could be consequences,” but he continued to speak out.
After a brief retirement from the NBA in 2022, Freedom has turned his focus to women's sports. He has written op‑eds and appeared on television to argue that biological differences between men and women must be respected in competitive athletics. “Female athletes should not have to worry that defending their own sports will cost them teammates, endorsements, playing time, or their reputations,” he told reporters. He added that “every person deserves dignity and respect,” but that respecting human beings does not require denying biological realities.
Freedom’s upcoming WNBA bid is the most recent public statement of his commitment to gender‑equity in athletics. He explained that he hopes to use his experience to “protect the opportunities women and girls are working toward.” He said: “We can treat people with compassion and still ask difficult questions. We can disagree without hatred. We can protect the dignity of every individual while protecting fair competition for female athletes.”
The WNBA, which currently fields 12 teams, will hold its draft in late 2027. Freedom’s name has not yet entered the official lottery list, but the announcement has prompted speculation that he intends to play as a guard, bringing his veteran leadership to a league that values experience. Analysts note that his NBA career statistics—averaging 6.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 rebounds over 11 seasons—would translate into a solid, if not superstar, role in the WNBA.
The move has also sparked discussion among players, coaches, and fans. Former WNBA player Sue Bird called the decision “an example of how athletes can use their platform to influence change.” Meanwhile, some commentators caution that Freedom’s outspoken nature may generate controversy in a league that has navigated sensitive issues around gender and sexuality.
Freedom’s narrative illustrates how personal convictions can intersect with professional sport. His quote, “Freedom comes with costs too,” underscores the price he has paid: revocation of his passport, a bounty on his life, and a family that suffered for his advocacy. He says that “silence comes with a cost of its own,” implying that speaking out is the only viable path for a free society.
He concluded his press briefing by urging young athletes to persevere in quiet practice: “Somewhere today, a little girl is standing in an empty gym working on her jump shot. She's putting in one more practice, one more drill, one more shot. She deserves the freedom to chase that dream.” The statement frames his upcoming draft bid not just as a personal career move, but as a symbolic gesture aimed at reinforcing the principle that freedom, though costly, must remain a lived reality.
Freedom’s entry into the WNBA draft will be closely watched as it could signal a new era of athlete activism in women’s professional basketball. Whether he will take the court in 2027 remains to be seen, but his public commitment has already sparked a conversation about the relationship between sports, personal freedom, and the protection of women's opportunities in athletics.