WNBA veteran Angel McCoughtry has called for a league-wide ban of Enes Kanter Freedom following his ejection from a Chicago Sky game and ongoing controversies involving objects being thrown onto the court during WNBA games.
McCoughtry, a 13-year WNBA veteran and five-time All-Star, questioned the motivations behind Freedom's recent actions and the recurring issue of dildos being thrown onto the playing surface during WNBA games. Freedom was ejected from the Sky-Fever game on Sunday after a verbal altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He was wearing a T-shirt that read, "WOMAN noun. adult human female."
"I just have a question to the guys out there. What is the obsession? The dildos are being thrown on the ground," McCoughtry told TMZ Sports. "There’s no transgender in the WNBA. So y’all are going on a frenzy about what? What is the obsession with this? Why can’t we play and have fun?"
McCoughtry emphasized that Freedom should be banned from all 15 WNBA arenas, stating, "Real NBA players, they don’t have time for that. They come and support our game and we figure out ways we can create and grow."
Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, has been involved in the discourse surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports. He declared for the 2027 WNBA draft earlier this month. Reports indicated that Freedom and former NBA player Royce White, who also declared for the draft, would not be eligible to play after reportedly declaring themselves women for the draft, though Freedom has since refuted these reports.
McCoughtry also addressed the broader issue of objects, specifically dildos, being thrown onto the court. She noted that an individual who threw a green dildo during a Dream-Sparks game in Los Angeles last week was arrested and reportedly received an indefinite ban from all WNBA, NBA, and affiliated games and events. The WNBA has previously addressed similar incidents at games in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
"You’ve never seen a woman go to an NBA game and throw vagina toys or something like that," McCoughtry said. "Men have to stop being obsessed with women and wanting to control our success and wanting to be in control all the time. Anything women do, it’s always gotta be a man. Men, you gotta respect women. Give us the respect we be giving y’all, the respect y’all want. I’ve been in the league too many years to be seeing this. Come on now, get it together."
McCoughtry further commented on Freedom's past, stating, "There’s a reason Enes is banned from his country, Turkey. Something’s going on with that. But like, leave women alone. Who messes with women? If you mess with women, you’re a weak man."