Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom is actually a big fan of Sophie Cunningham, despite her stance on transgender athletes.
Sophie Cunningham started a debate across the WNBA after speaking out on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. The Indiana guard insisted her position stems strictly from wanting to protect biological women and maintain fairness in female athletics.
While her remarks drew sharp pushback and media scrutiny, Cunningham stood firmly by her views, emphasizing that advocating for women’s sports doesn’t mean harboring ill will toward anyone.
Meanwhile, you’ve got Enes Kanter Freedom turning heads by declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft to directly challenge the league’s eligibility guidelines.
Despite a seemingly different opinion on trans athletes, Enes Kanter is a fan of Sophie Cunningham.
Enes Kanter praises Sophie Cunningham’s comments
Sophie Cunningham’s viral ‘I said what I said’ phrase came after she was quizzed on whether she regrets her comments on trans athletes.
And that’s something that has stuck with Enes Kanter, who labelled her as a ‘role model’ in an interview with the America First Policy Institute.
He said: “When she posted ‘I said what I said’, I was like this is the player I want to be like one day.
“She’s becoming a role model off the court as well — She actually pushing people to think.
“But hey, if I ever meet her down the line I’m dunking on her as well, I know she’s a top girl and she’s going to try get under my skin, but I’m taking off on anyone. I don’t care who you are.”
It’s highly doubtful that Kanter and Cunningham will ever be in a situation to meet, unless he attends an Indiana Fever game. Especially as the early indications are that the WNBA will come up with some kind of ruling to stop people like Kanter and Royce White from being able to enter the draft.
But to hear him not take offence to her standing on her transgender athlete stance, perhaps shows that deep down he doesn’t actually believe in what he’s fighting for.
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