Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was escorted out of a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever on Sunday after a contentious exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The incident occurred in the third quarter of the game at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
The interaction between Freedom and Cloud, which reportedly involved Cloud saying something towards Freedom's seating area after making a layup, led to security intervention. Witnesses described Cloud's teammates and personnel restraining her while Freedom, who has publicly stated his eligibility for the WNBA draft by identifying as a woman, rose from his seat and approached her.
Arena security quickly moved Freedom from his seat and later informed him that he needed to leave the venue. As he was being removed, Freedom displayed a shirt reading "WOMAN noun. adult human female." He was reportedly booed by the crowd.
Freedom later posted on social media, stating, "I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN!" He also wrote, "It’s always women hating on other women." Videos from the arena lobby showed Freedom in a verbal dispute with Chicago Police officers, where he could be heard saying, "I’m supporting women, and that is the reason they are kicking me out; it is unacceptable."
The incident follows a recent controversy ignited by comments from Sky player Sophie Cunningham, who told ESPN that she wanted to protect "young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men." Freedom had publicly supported Cunningham's stance, calling her an "American hero" in an interview with Fox News Channel's "My View with Lara Trump" over the weekend. He stated that Cunningham was "inspiring not only the players in the WNBA but girls from all over the world."
Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, has been an active participant in discussions surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports. His ejection from the WNBA game has amplified his involvement in this ongoing debate. The WNBA and the Chicago Sky have been reached out to for comment regarding the incident.