Enes Kanter Freedom Ejected From Sky-Fever Game After Courtside Confrontation With Natasha Cloud
Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from Sunday's WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever after a courtside confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud during a third-quarter timeout (BBC Sport).
The Fever won 113-90, but the final score was overshadowed by what happened at the scorer's table.
Cloud, who had been pointing and shouting in Kanter Freedom's direction after scoring during the game, continued toward him during the stoppage. Kanter Freedom, seated courtside, stood up with arms outstretched and stepped toward the court. Security personnel and other Sky players intervened before the former Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics big man was escorted out of Chicago's Wintrust Arena (BBC Sport). He reportedly spoke with police officers before exiting the building.
Kanter Freedom wore a T-shirt reading "WOMAN noun. Adult human female." — a slogan associated with opposition to the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports (BBC Sport). Earlier in August, he announced he would enter the next WNBA Draft, citing what he called the league's lack of clear eligibility guidelines for transgender women players (BBC Sport). The WNBA's official game summary confirms the third-quarter ejection, noting Kanter Freedom was confronted by Cloud (WNBA.com).
After the game, both parties took to social media.
Kanter Freedom posted on X: "I just got kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!" (BBC Sport).
Cloud responded on Threads with a message directed at transgender individuals: "To every trans kid/person, you are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You're loved. You're seen. You're perfect as you are & you will always be protected by me" (BBC Sport).
Sky head coach Tyler Marsh, addressing the incident postgame, said fans should come to games to enjoy the basketball and that Kanter Freedom — as a former professional player himself — should understand and feel that the players deserve that level of respect (BBC Sport).
Kanter Freedom, 33, played 11 seasons in the NBA after being drafted third overall by the Utah Jazz in 2011. He last appeared in an NBA game with the Boston Celtics in 2022. He legally changed his surname to "Freedom" in 2021.
For the Fever, the win was a comfortable offensive showing — 113 points is a haul in a league where teams average closer to the mid-80s. For the Sky, the loss was the tougher story on a night when a courtside sideshow drew more attention than the box score.
