Enes Kanter Freedom gets tossed from arena after courtside clash with WNBA star

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from the Wintrust Arena on Sunday after a confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The incident occurred late in the third quarter of the game between the Sky and Fever. Cloud scored a layup and, according to reports, said something towards the courtside where Freedom was seated.

In response, Freedom stood up and raised his hands, at which point security approached him and escorted him out of the arena. Footage of the removal quickly circulated on social media, and the fans at the game, a mix of Fever and Sky supporters, were heard booing Freedom as he left. Wearing a shirt that read "Woman noun. Adult human female," Freedom expressed his belief that he was being discriminated against due to his support for women's rights.

He was briefly confronted by security at the arena entrance before being told to leave. Freedom, who last played in the NBA in 2002, has recently challenged the WNBA's gender eligibility rule, stating his intention to join the 2027 WNBA draft by identifying as a woman. The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement states that only women are eligible to play in the league, but it does not include clear language regarding gender identity.

A Fever fan, Trista Smith, claimed she was seated next to Freedom and that the altercation was initiated by Cloud, who she says came to confront him after he stood up and raised his hands. Smith supported Freedom's right to expression and disagreed with his removal. The WNBA did not provide a statement regarding the incident. Sky forward Azurá Stevens offered a brief comment, stating that "there was just a fan incident, security handled it, and we’re just going to focus on the game."