WNBA front offices have unanimously passed on draft declarations from former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, citing the aging prospects' heavy-footed defensive rotations and a glaring lack of locker-room intangibles.
WNBA front offices have unanimously passed on draft declarations from former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, citing the aging prospects' heavy-footed defensive rotations and a glaring lack of locker-room intangibles.
Treating the highly publicized culture-war stunt as a routine waiver-wire evaluation, league scouting departments spent Monday reviewing tape on both men to determine if they were viable options for the modern women's game. Memos circulated among general managers concluded that while Freedom possesses adequate height, his inability to defend in space would be immediately targeted by the Connecticut Sun’s perimeter offense. White, who last played professional basketball in 2013, was flagged by evaluators for poor conditioning and an inconsistent midrange jumper.
We appreciate any undrafted free agent submitting their paperwork, but the tape from his final season in Boston shows a player who simply cannot close out on shooters," said Brenda Tolleson, Vice President of Waiver Compliance for the WNBA. "This is a highly physical league, and you can't expect to log minutes if you aren't willing to sprint back on transition defense.
Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham confirmed that active players are ignoring the media circus surrounding the two men. Speaking at a postgame presser, Cunningham stated the Mercury are focused entirely on securing a favorable playoff seed, rather than discussing "undersized bigs who haven't set a hard screen since the Obama administration."
The prospect of either man making a training camp roster was permanently shelved Tuesday morning. Agents for both Freedom and White formally withdrew their draft applications after league operations informed them that a rookie-scale contract pays $64,000, offers zero opportunities for load management, and requires flying commercial through Chicago O'Hare.