Cunningham ignores Kanter Freedom, White WNBA draft bids — SkimNews
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- Sophie Cunningham told ESPN she's ignoring Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declaring WNBA draft eligibility, saying Friday: "I'm gonna let them do them. I'm just focused on the Fever and on our sport."
- Enes Kanter Freedom posted his intention to play in the WNBA on social media Aug. 7, was ejected from the Fever's Aug. 23 game against the Chicago Sky in Chicago following a verbal altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud, and has since filed a lawsuit alleging his First Amendment rights were violated.
- Royce White attended the Fever's Aug. 28 game against the Connecticut Sun, according to the source.
- Cunningham previously drew rallies both for and against transgender inclusion at Fever games after a July 21 ESPN article in which she said she supports restricting transgender girls and women from girls' and women's sports.
- The Indiana Fever are 26-14, in fifth place in the standings, and return to the court next Friday in Toronto to battle for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Sept. 27.
- Cunningham relaunched her podcast Thursday with new host Drew Hanlen under the new name "No Hesitation" and said "this team has great potential to make a really great playoff run."
Why it matters: Cunningham's dismissal keeps the Fever — 26-14 and chasing playoff home-court advantage — pointed at a postseason run rather than the Kanter Freedom–White spectacle, but her 'let them do them' stance also sidesteps the trans-inclusion controversy she personally fueled with the July 21 ESPN piece that drew competing rallies to Fever games.
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