Enes Kanter Freedom took direct aim at Kevin Durant after the Houston Rockets star brushed off the latest WNBA controversy as background noise during media day.
Durant was asked about the dispute involving Kanter Freedom and Royce White, both of whom have pushed back against what they see as unclear WNBA gender eligibility rules. His answer kept the focus on the league’s rise rather than the argument around it.
“All that stuff just be noise, man. And the WNBA is flourishing.
Look what these women are doing. You know, look at the money they’re making.
They made over the last few years. Look at the visibility of their league.”
“They got four or five signature athletes on major brands like that that are representing major brands. Um, these women have brands for themselves or businesses for themselves outside of the game.So a lot of that stuff, you know, the politics that they bring into sports nowadays, I understand the messaging behind what they’re trying to do.”
“But a person like me, who just strictly cares for the purity of the sport, I do not give a f-k about none of that.I care about flourishing and pushing the league forward, and that’s what’s happening right now.”
Kanter Freedom was not having it. He pushed back hard on Durant’s framing, arguing that the issue isn’t political at all.
“Kevin Durant, since when did protecting women become political?”
“There is an ideology that wants to put:
- Your daughters in the same showers as biological males.
- Your sisters in the same locker rooms as biological males.
- Your wives in the same bathrooms as biological males.
“And here I am, putting my life on the line to fight against this evil ideology and protect future generations. Yet somehow, I’m the villain?”
“Shame on you!”
“This isn’t about politics. It’s about common sense, morality, and standing up for what’s right.
But what would you expect from someone who turned his back on #Oklahoma to chase a ring? 🧁”
“@KDTrey5, basketball doesn’t define who you are. One day, the game will end, the cheers will fade, and all that will remain is the man you chose to be.”
Kanter Freedom then tied the disagreement to Durant’s 2016 exit from Oklahoma City, making the exchange more personal. The two were teammates with the Thunder after Kanter Freedom arrived in February 2015, and they went through the 2016 Western Conference Finals run together before Oklahoma City blew a 3-1 lead against the Warriors. Durant later left for Golden State in free agency.
The dispute grew out of Kanter Freedom and Royce White saying they would declare for the 2027 WNBA draft as part of their protest over gender eligibility standards. Kanter Freedom also was ejected from the August 23rd Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game after a confrontation with Natasha Cloud. The Associated Press reported that no transgender player has ever competed in the WNBA.
For Durant, the message was simple: let the WNBA’s growth speak for itself. For Kanter Freedom, the eligibility issue is the point, and calling it politics only dodges the real debate.
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