Former National Basketball Association player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from Sunday's game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after getting into a verbal altercation with Fever guard Natasha Cloud during the third quarter. The Sky lost 113-90.
Kanter Freedom was sitting courtside when Cloud began pointing and shouting toward him at the start of an Indiana timeout. He stood up and took several steps toward the court with his arms spread open.
A referee and security staff quickly moved between the two, while Cloud's teammates pulled her away. The referee then signaled Kanter Freedom's ejection, and he was escorted out of the arena by team and venue security.
Footage of the incident circulated widely on social media, including a video posted by the account BrickCenter that showed Kanter Freedom being confronted before his removal.
Reactions on Social Media
Kanter Freedom, 34, was wearing a black T-shirt printed with the phrase, in English, "Woman. Noun. Adult human female."
After the game, Cloud spoke with team and league security but did not address reporters. On social media, she posted a message of support for the trans community, saying that every trans person or child was part of her community and her tribe, that they belonged, and that they were loved, seen and perfect as they were, adding that she would always protect them.
Kanter Freedom, who spoke with police before leaving the arena, also posted on social media. He wrote that he had just been ejected from a WNBA game for supporting women, and told America to let that sink in.
Coach Tyler Marsh Responds
Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said after the game that Cloud did not want to become the center of attention. He said he had told her she was not a distraction, and that the whole team embraced her as someone who protects the team and the people who need protecting. He said Cloud would always stand up for that, and that the team stood beside her.
Marsh also had a message for spectators, in an apparent reference to the episode involving Kanter Freedom. He said there was so much good in the league and in the players' performances that anyone attending a game should probably go to enjoy the basketball. He said that seemed simple to him, and that the players deserved that and had earned the right to it.
Kanter Freedom's NBA Career
Kanter Freedom, previously known simply as Enes Kanter, played center in the NBA for 11 seasons, from 2011-12 to 2021-22. He played for five franchises and appeared in 748 regular-season games, averaging 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds.
He has also become known for speaking out on social and political issues, including the debate over the participation of trans athletes in sports competitions.
The Trans Athletes Debate in the WNBA
The Women's National Basketball Association does not have a specific public policy on trans athlete participation. Its collective bargaining agreement, signed in March, states that only players who are women are eligible to play in the league.
The issue gained momentum in the league after comments from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who argued that women's sports should be reserved exclusively for women. Cunningham later said she did not hate the trans community but believed in the need to protect the rights of biological women.
The debate has already sparked demonstrations outside WNBA arenas, with groups both supporting and opposing Cunningham's position. Kanter Freedom and another former NBA player, Royce White, have both said they are eligible for the WNBA's 2027 Draft, and, according to press reports, have begun identifying as women. The league has not publicly confirmed any change related to either player's status.
