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Enes Kanter Freedom has put himself forward as a potential candidate for the WNBA commissioner position following Cathy Engelbert’s decision to step down after the 2026 season. Engelbert, who became the league’s first commissioner in 2019, announced Friday that she will leave the post after more than seven years in charge.

Kanter Freedom’s self-nomination comes even though the WNBA has not officially opened the position for applications. Known for publicly putting his name forward for high-profile roles, the former NBA player has now turned his attention to the WNBA’s top job following Engelbert’s announcement.

Enes Kanter Freedom Eyes WNBA Commissioner Job After Cathy Engelbert’s Exit

Enes Kanter Freedom has inserted himself into the conversation surrounding the WNBA’s next commissioner, following Cathy Engelbert’s announcement that she will leave the position at the end of 2026. Freedom responded to the news by publicly putting himself forward for the position, despite the fact that the WNBA has not opened a public application process for the job. In a video posted on social media, the former NBA center described Engelbert’s departure as an opportunity for the league to change its approach to women’s sports and promoted his own candidacy with the slogan, “MAKE @WNBA FEMALE AGAIN.”

“While the reported retirement of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is a win for women and an admission that the league’s rules must change, her retirement does not solve the systemic issues which must be addressed in order to protect women’s sports,” Freedom said in the video.

“If the WNBA is unable to define what a woman is, then I, Enes Kanter Freedom, would be more than happy to step in as commissioner and lead this league back to greatness and restore fairness for all women. I’ll bring common sense. I’ll bring fairness. And yes, I’ll bring a dictionary. So let’s make WNBA female again.”

Enes Kanter Freedom’s WNBA Campaign and Legal Battle

Freedom’s latest comments are part of a broader campaign he has waged around the WNBA and transgender athletes in women’s sports. On August 7, he declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft while claiming to identify as a woman, using the move to challenge the league’s eligibility language. He has continued to speak out on the issue and has previously backed Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham’s opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

His commissioner pitch also comes shortly after a legal dispute involving his removal from a WNBA game in Chicago. Freedom filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Sky, the city of Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority after being escorted out of Wintrust Arena during the Sky’s August 23 game against the Indiana Fever. He was sitting courtside when a confrontation occurred with Sky guard Natasha Cloud, and the team later banned him from the arena.

The former NBA player has disputed the circumstances surrounding his removal, arguing that his First Amendment rights were violated. The Sky, meanwhile, said Freedom could potentially pose a threat to player safety. His latest push to become commissioner appears to be another way of keeping his campaign around women’s sports and free speech in the spotlight rather than a conventional bid for a league executive position.

How the WNBA Chooses Its Next Commissioner

In reality, the WNBA commissioner is not selected through a public election or open application process. The appointment is handled by the league’s senior leadership and ownership, with candidates typically coming from established backgrounds in sports, entertainment and business. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the WNBA Board of Governors ultimately have the authority to approve the league’s next commissioner, making Freedom’s chances of landing the position highly unlikely.