Kevin Durant has dismissed the WNBA’s debate over gender eligibility, saying he is more focused on the league’s growth, visibility and commercial success. Speaking at Houston Rockets Media Day, Durant said he understood the campaign’s message but did not want politics to distract from the sport’s progress.

Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have campaigned for biological-sex eligibility rules, announcing plans to identify as women and enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Critics have called the proposal a stunt, while White has questioned wording in the league’s collective bargaining agreement; the dispute also led to Kanter Freedom’s ejection and subsequent ban from a Chicago Sky game.