Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has been barred from Wintrust Arena, the Chicago Sky announced on Tuesday, following his removal from the venue during a game two days prior.
During the Sky’s 113-90 defeat against the Indiana Fever on Sunday, Kanter Freedom was seated courtside when Sky guard Natasha Cloud started pointing and shouting at him as an Indiana timeout began. In response, Kanter Freedom rose to his feet and stepped onto the court with his arms outstretched.
Security personnel and a game official intervened between the two, while teammates pulled Cloud away. The official gestured for Kanter Freedom’s ejection, and team and arena security escorted him from his seat.
The 34-year-old was wearing a black T-shirt that read: “WOMAN noun. Adult human female.”
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Sky owner Michael Alter stated that Kanter Freedom began to “chirp” and “engage” Cloud. Alter said he believed Kanter Freedom intended to provoke Cloud, an LGBTQ+ advocate.
“He has demonstrated to us unequivocally that he has the potential to be a threat,” Alter said, according to reports. “That he is not able to control himself to the extent where we can be comfortable that he may (not) step towards the court again and towards the players.
“So that is the basis for which we will not permit him into the building until such time as he can prove otherwise.”
Following the game, the 34-year-old Cloud issued a statement on social media.
“To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me,” Cloud wrote.
Kanter Freedom, who spoke with police officers prior to exiting Wintrust Arena, subsequently posted on his X account: “I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, America.”
Previously known as Enes Kanter, the former NBA center spent 11 seasons in the league from 2011-12 to 2021-22, playing for five teams. Across 748 regular-season games, including 259 starts, he averaged 11.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 21.5 minutes per game.
He has also voiced opinions on social issues, including the debate surrounding transgender athletes. The WNBA, which has never had a known transgender player, has found itself involved in the topic, which was heightened after the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham spoke strongly in favor of women’s sports being solely for women.
Kanter Freedom and another former NBA player, Royce White, recently declared their intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming to identify as women.
However, multiple reports on Monday indicated that the league considers them ineligible for the draft, though Kanter Freedom told the New York Post that he has not been notified of any such decision.
