Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from a WNBA game Sunday night after a heated courtside confrontation with Chicago Sky player Natasha Cloud. Freedom, who has stated he is pursuing a spot in the WNBA, claims Cloud confronted him and made a sexually charged insult regarding his teammate Sophie Cunningham.
According to Freedom, the incident began when he raised his hands to celebrate Cunningham making a three-point shot. "Literally a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, 'She's not gonna sleep with you,'" Freedom told OutKick. He stated he responded by saying he was there to "protect women and support her," but Cloud continued to yell, using what Freedom described as "heavy language" and "F-bombs" in front of a crowd that included children.
Video of the incident shows Cloud approaching Freedom courtside, and the two appeared to be shouting at each other. Security intervened to hold Cloud back, while Freedom stood up. He was subsequently escorted out of the Wintrust Arena by staff.
Taking to social media platform X after his removal, Freedom wrote, "I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!" He also commented, "It’s always women hating on other women."
Freedom, who spent over a decade in the NBA, has been a vocal figure in recent discussions surrounding women's sports. Earlier on Sunday, he was met with protests from some fans as he arrived at the arena, wearing a t-shirt with a definition of the word "woman." He was also cheered by other fans.
The incident occurs amidst ongoing controversy and discourse within the WNBA. Recently, Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a flagrant foul that left Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham bloodied. Following the incident, Carrington posted "WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever" on social media, which ignited further debate.
Cloud herself recently drew attention for her strong remarks about fans throwing sex toys onto the court during games. She described the behavior as "lame as f***" and suggested the perpetrators were exhibiting "gayest" behavior, urging them to "come out."