Enes Kanter has offered a deeper look at his decision to pursue the WNBA Draft, and he is already imagining what life in the league could look like if the Indiana Fever decides to take a chance on him.
In a Friday interview with the America First Policy Institute, Kanter discussed his claimed eligibility for the 2027 WNBA Draft and laid out a particularly ambitious vision: teaming up with Caitlin Clark and turning their partnership into a modern version of one of the NBA’s most legendary duos.
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Enes Kanter Envisions Dominant Caitlin Clark Partnership If Indiana Fever Draft Him
About a week ago, Kanter declared himself a prospect for the 2027 WNBA Draft, adding another layer to the already heated debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The WNBA has yet to confirm that Kanter is eligible. On Wednesday, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert met with team executives to discuss the issue, but the league did not reach a definitive conclusion.
In a statement released to ESPN, the league said there were “no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA” and added that it “strongly denounce[s] the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
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The lack of an immediate ruling, however, has not stopped Kanter from having a hypothetical Fever blueprint that begins with Clark.
“I’m really excited. It’s going to be fun, especially if I get drafted by maybe Indiana. … Me and Caitlin will be, we’ll be modern Kobe & Shaq,” Kanter said.
That comparison comes with some rather ambitious expectations.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal won three consecutive championships together with the Los Angeles Lakers, so Kanter has set the bar somewhere well above decent collaboration.
He even imagined how a Kanter-Clark highlight might unfold.
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“Think of this scenario. We’re going down the lane, Caitlin just throwing a lob, I cut the lob and just dunking the ball. And then me and Caitlin just bumping chest to each other, which I’m allowed to do because I am now a woman.”
Kanter’s vision is built around his belief that he qualifies under the WNBA’s current eligibility framework. He said he and his team “have carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion.”
The relevant WNBA-WNBPA CBA language has given Kanter some leeway in interpreting it. Article XIII, Section 1(a) states: “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.”
However, the provision itself does not define “women” or establish a self-identification standard, hormone requirement, or separate transgender eligibility policy.
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That distinction leaves the central question unresolved. Kanter can claim eligibility, but only the WNBA can determine whether that claim satisfies the league’s actual rules.
For now, the 2027 Draft remains months away, but Kanter is already imagining lob plays with Clark and reaching for the Kobe-Shaq comparison.
Before the chest bumps and highlight reels can become reality, though, the WNBA will have to settle the much more basic question of whether he can enter the league in the first place.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
