Enes Kanter Freedom Claims FBI Protection Amid WNBA Finals Attendance

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom announced he will be under FBI protection during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday evening, citing threats he has received.

Kanter Freedom revealed his security arrangements in an interview, stating he is in contact with the FBI and has his own security. He also mentioned that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is providing security for his attendance at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. "There's going to be a lot of FBI officers around the game, so, and they will be protecting us," Freedom told OutKick.

His plans to attend the WNBA Finals followed his earlier declaration for the league's draft in protest of its gender eligibility criteria and a subsequent ejection from a Chicago Sky game. Freedom shared that his direct messages have been filled with threats, some referencing the shooting of Charlie Kirk and warning that Freedom would be "the next." He posted screenshots of some messages, including one that read, "He might not make it out the city untouched honestly." Another message stated, "Atlanta you know what to do."

The WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had previously informed Republican lawmakers that neither Kanter Freedom nor fellow former NBA player Royce White would be eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. The league's stance, communicated to Kanter Freedom's representatives, stated that only women are eligible to play in the WNBA and that the individuals in question are both men. The WNBA also noted its commitment to addressing online hate and vitriol directed at its players.

In response to the WNBA's decision, Kanter Freedom questioned the league's ability to define a man without defining a woman and challenged Commissioner Engelbert's authority to determine his identity. The WNBA Finals series is currently tied 1-1 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream.