Freedom praised the WNBA’s players but took a shot at league leadership after Saturday’s historic Game 7, renewing his warning that his push to enter the 2027 draft is far from over.
asserted
push → praise → draft
His reaction came after the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 at Chase Center in San Francisco, winning their first championship in just their second season.
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Valkyries → come → season
Gabby Williams led Golden State with 30 points in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history.
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Williams → lead → history
"I’m so proud of all these hardworking, talented women who have dedicated their lives to basketball.
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who → ’m → basketball
They deserve all the recognition, respect, and support in the world," Freedom said in a statement reacting to the game.
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Freedom → deserve → game
"I just wish they had better leadership, because the conversation should be about their incredible performances on the court, not controversies off it.
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conversation → wish → it
My hope is that next year we can finally have some peace and let basketball be the focus again.
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basketball → have → peace
"But if not, I’ll see you ladies at the 2027 WNBA Draft.
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I → see → Draft
The former NBA center announced his draft bid in August, saying he identifies as a woman and arguing that the league’s eligibility language allowed him to compete.
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him → announce → woman
The WNBA has already deemed him ineligible.
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him → deem → ?
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert reiterated that position in an Oct. 16 response to Republican lawmakers who had pressed the league to explain its eligibility standards.
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who → reiterate → standards
She wrote that "only women are eligible to play in the WNBA" and identified Freedom as a man.
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women → write → man
The exchange followed a September inquiry led by Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., seeking, among other answers, the league’s definition of "women."
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exchange → follow → women
Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the WNBA’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement states: "Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA."
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who → state → WNBA
The agreement does not set out a separate eligibility policy for transgender women.
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agreement → set → women
Freedom has said he would end his campaign if the league explicitly restricted eligibility to biological women.
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league → say → women
The dispute also has a connection to the player who led Golden State to its championship.
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who → have → championship
Williams voiced support for transgender athletes earlier this year, saying in May, "I would welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team, anytime."
uncertain
I → voice → team
Freedom later cited her comments as the inspiration for his draft announcement.
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Freedom → cite → announcement
The Associated Press reported in October that no transgender woman had played in the WNBA.
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woman → report → WNBA
Freedom’s campaign also brought him into a confrontation with arena officials during the Finals.
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campaign → bring → Finals
He left State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Oct. 21 after disputing a requirement that he watch Game 3 from a private luxury suite instead of his purchased seat.
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he → leave → suite
Video showed officials telling him he would have to agree to go to the suite to enter.
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he → show → suite
The arena said the arrangement followed Freedom’s outreach to authorities, the WNBA, the Dream and arena officials about concerns for his personal safety.
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arrangement → say → safety
It said the suite would have additional security and that state police had assigned him an officer at his request.
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police → say → request
Freedom insisted he wanted to sit in the seat he purchased.
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he → insist → seat
An arena representative said he rejected the suite offered for his safety.
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he → say → safety
Earlier in the season, the Chicago Sky banned Freedom from home games after his Aug. 23 confrontation with guard Natasha Cloud.
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Sky → ban → Cloud
Sky owner Michael Alter defended the decision on safety grounds, saying Freedom had made himself a threat by stepping toward Cloud during the exchange.
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himself → defend → exchange
Freedom’s latest criticism comes with a leadership change already scheduled.
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criticism → come → change
Engelbert announced in September that she will retire at the end of 2026, following more than seven years as commissioner.
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she → announce → commissioner
Freedom’s statement signals that he intends to keep pressing the issue as the league prepares for a new commissioner and the 2027 season.
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league → signal → commissioner
The Aporia
