Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud stated on Saturday that she would not engage with what she described as an “irrelevant threat to women,” referring to former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom’s recent actions and comments regarding transgender athletes. Cloud, speaking publicly for the first time since a verbal exchange with Freedom during a WNBA game, emphasized the importance of focusing on significant issues impacting women and children.

Freedom had inserted himself into the ongoing debate surrounding WNBA eligibility policies, a discussion that intensified after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was quoted saying she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” Freedom attended a game wearing a shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. Adult human female,” in support of Cunningham.

During the game, Freedom was reportedly removed after an altercation with Cloud. The Chicago Sky owner, Michael Alter, has since banned Freedom indefinitely from the team's arena. Cloud expressed her gratitude for Alter’s swift action and called for the WNBA to implement a league-wide ban on Freedom.

“I want to talk about real issues that face women,” Cloud said before the Sky’s game against the New York Liberty. She listed domestic violence, sexual assault, food insecurity, and healthcare access as critical concerns, asserting that transgender individuals are not the primary threat to women and children in 2026.

Cloud, a vocal advocate for social justice issues including LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality, and gun violence prevention, suggested that the focus on transgender participation in the WNBA is an “intentional distraction.” She attributed this narrative to men who, in her view, dominate sports discussions and investment.

“Even the men now that are like, ‘Oh, we need to protect the WNBA.’ Y’all were the same ones saying we shouldn’t have been paid. Y’all were the same ones saying that we shouldn’t have been invested into,” Cloud stated. She argued that if the intention is to protect women, that protection must extend to all women, including Black women and trans women.

Cloud expressed a desire for the WNBA to receive recognition for its recent historic collective bargaining agreement, increasing viewership, and the high level of talent within the league. She believes the league is being used as a pawn in broader political and cultural debates.

She expressed hope that the WNBA’s upcoming three-week break for the FIBA World Cup would allow for conversations to shift back to the sport itself. However, she reiterated her belief that the debate surrounding trans athlete participation is a deliberate tactic to divert attention, particularly with midterm elections approaching. "We’re not puppets," she concluded.