Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom escorted out after confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud
During a Chicago Sky game against the Indiana Fever, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from Wintrust Arena after a verbal clash with guard Natasha Cloud, prompting statements from the Sky coach and the league.
Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud and former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom engaged in a verbal exchange during the third quarter of the Sky's 113-90 loss to the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena on Sunday. Security intervened and escorted Kanter Freedom from the venue after the incident.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh said, "I told [Cloud] that we all embrace her as someone that protects our team and protects people that needs to be protected. And so, Tash is always going to stand on that, and we stand for Tash."
Cloud later posted on the social platform Threads in support of transgender individuals, stating that trans people are part of her community and that she will protect them.
Kanter Freedom, who played 11 NBA seasons and changed his surname after becoming a U.S. citizen, has been vocal on the transgender-athlete debate surrounding the WNBA. He wore a T-shirt defining the word "woman" and claimed on social media to be a potential WNBA prospect, despite the league’s collective bargaining agreement specifying that only women are eligible to play.
The WNBA described recent comments from Kanter Freedom and similar figures as "bad-faith" actions and "publicity stunts" that the league will not amplify. The Sky’s loss dropped the team to a 15-22 record, ending a three-game winning streak and eliminating them from playoff contention.