India, Aug. 8 -- The debate over who should be allowed to compete in women's sports has found its way back to the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and this time it has taken an unexpected turn. Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom's announcement that he intends to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft has reignited a conversation that was already simmering around transgender athletes, gender identity and women's sport.

The conversation, however, did not begin with Freedom. Before his announcement, the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) had already addressed the increasingly heated debate, stressing that its more than 200 members come from different backgrounds, cultures and lived experiences. The union said it em...