Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant insists he ‘doesn’t give a f***’ about the circus engulfing the WNBA involving his ex-teammate Enes Kanter Freedom.
The WNBA has been embroiled in a culture war ever since Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham said she wants to ‘protect young girls… who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.’
That has sparked a wave of protests surrounding transgender athletes in sports and prompted two ex-NBA stars – Kanter Freedom and Royce White – to ‘declare’ for the 2027 draft. In the WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, it states ‘only players who are women are eligible to play.’ But there is no specific definition of a woman.
Amid the controversy, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced she would step down, while Kanter Freedom was kicked out of a Fever game following an angry confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud.
Durant played alongside the 34-year-old with the Oklahoma City Thunder and on Tuesday, the two-time NBA champion was asked about the saga. ‘All that stuff just be noise, man. The WNBA is flourishing,’ Durant said.
‘So a lot of that stuff, the politics that they bring into sports nowadays, I understand the message in 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*** about none of that.
Rockets star Kevin Durant insists he ‘doesn’t give a f***’ about’ the circus engulfing the WNBA
His ex-teammate Enes Kanter Freedom has claimed he is ‘declaring’ for the WNBA draft
Durant and Kanter Freedom previously played together on the Oklahoma City Thunder
A transgender storm has engulfed the WNBA following Sophie Cunningham’s comments
‘I care about flourishing and pushing the league forward and that’s what’s happening right now.’
Durant added: ‘Look what these women are doing. Look at the money they’ve made over the last few years. Look at visibility of their league.
‘They got four or five signature athletes on major brands that represent major brands. These women have brands for themselves, the business women for themselves outside the game.’
Kanter Freedom later hit back at his former teammate and claimed he is ‘putting his life on the line’ to fight against an ‘evil ideology and protect future generations.’
‘Kevin Durant, since when did protecting women become political?’ he wrote on social media.
‘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.
WNBA star Natasha Cloud had to be held back by security after confronting Kanter Freedom
Royce White’s NBA career fizzled after a standoff with the Rockets over his anxiety disorder
– 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.’
