WNBA legend Angel McCoughtry has strongly criticized former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, calling him a "weak man" and advocating for him to be banned entirely from WNBA games.
Kanter Freedom was ejected from a recent game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after a courtside confrontation. He was wearing a T-shirt that read "WOMAN noun. adult human female" as part of his protest regarding the league's transgender policies.
The owner of the Chicago Sky subsequently banned Kanter Freedom from their home arena for all future games, stating he "has the potential to be a threat." McCoughtry, a 13-year WNBA veteran and five-time All-Star, believes the league should follow this decision, particularly after Kanter Freedom's attempt to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft was blocked.
McCoughtry questioned the male figures' "obsession" with the WNBA, referencing incidents where adult toys being thrown on the court, alongside Kanter Freedom's T-shirt stunt. "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 said to TMZ Sports.
She alluded to Kanter 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."
Kanter Freedom, who was born in Switzerland and raised in Turkey, had his passport canceled and a bounty placed on his head for speaking out against President Erdogan. He became a U.S. citizen in 2021, legally changing his last name to Freedom. He last played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics in 2022.
McCoughtry suggested that "real NBA players" support the WNBA's game and growth, contrasting this with Freedom's actions. "What, are you about to come to L.A. next and do it or go to New York next and do it? So yeah, you should be banned," she added. "And then to prove a point. That we don't have time for that and we're not tolerating that kind of behavior. Leave us alone."
She further emphasized that there are no active transgender players in the WNBA, questioning the focus on the issue. "If it happened, then have the conversation. It's not happening," McCoughtry stated.
Other WNBA figures have also spoken out against Kanter Freedom's behavior. Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink called him a "stupid piece of s***," suggesting he is trying to remain relevant by using a "non-issue" for "clickbait or for views for likes, and then targeting a vulnerable community."