Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh publicly supported Natasha Cloud after she engaged in a verbal altercation with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom during the team's game against the Indiana Fever on August 23, 2026. The incident occurred in the third quarter of the Fever's 113-90 victory at Wintrust Arena when Cloud, on the court, began yelling at Freedom, who was seated courtside. Freedom then approached the boundary of the court and shouted back at Cloud, prompting security to intervene and escort him from the venue.

Marsh stated that the team embraces Cloud for her willingness to protect "people who need to be protected." He addressed the team after the incident, assuring Cloud that she was not a distraction and reinforcing that the team stands with her. "Tash is always going to stand on that and we stand for Tash," Marsh said during his postgame press conference. He also noted that Cloud was able to refocus and deliver a strong performance after the situation was de-escalated.

"I just told the team that I’m proud of how we ride for each other," Marsh added. "She’s passionate, and she’s passionate about the things she believes in, she’s passionate about her teammates and we’re passionate about her."

When asked about a message for Kanter or others like him, Marsh encouraged spectators to attend WNBA games to enjoy the sport. "I think that there’s so much good things about this league and so many good things about the play of these players and if you come to a game you should probably come to enjoy the basketball and that seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that and have earned that. Being a former basketball player you should understand and feel that too," he said.

Cloud was not available for postgame interviews. Sky forward-center Azura Stevens briefly commented, stating that security handled a fan incident and the team's focus remained on the game.

Kanter later spoke about the event, alleging that the confrontation began after he raised his hands to celebrate a teammate's shot. He claimed Cloud then began yelling at him, saying, "She’s not gonna sleep with you." Kanter stated he responded by saying he was "just here to protect women and support her."

Kanter, who has expressed interest in the WNBA, attended the game wearing a shirt with a definition of a woman. He reported being met with a hostile crowd upon arrival and later posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting WOMEN!" He also posted, "It’s always women hating on other women."

Kanter suggested his shirt was a catalyst for the incident. "I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot," he said.

This was not the first public exchange between Kanter and Cloud. Previously, he offered to pay for her travel to China, Russia, or Turkey after she reportedly called America "trash."