While the WNBA may not be banning Enes Kanter Freedom across the league, the Chicago Sky don’t want to see him back.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Sky owner Michael Alter announced that Kanter has been banned from Wintrust Arena. Alter said that Kanter “has the potential to be a threat” moving forward.
“He has demonstrated to us, unequivocally, that he has the potential to be a threat,” Alter said, via Kareem Copeland.
Fans Weigh In
Kanter’s actions have had mixed results across the sports world. Fans who oppose the WNBA find him hilarious and a serious activist for women. Fans who defend the WNBA see him as a troll who is just trying to be disruptive or insult the league. Some warned that there could be a lawsuit forthcoming:
“Cloud started the confrontation, not Freedom. They will need good luck when Enes sues them. The WNBA is its own worst enemy. And if not for Clark and Cunningham, no one would GAF. And that’s a fact,” one user remarked.
“Kanter is an embarrassment. He might as well see if he can get on with WWE. Total clown show,” wrote another.
“Kanter’s offense: Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the dictionary definition of the word “woman” at a Chicago Sky game. A lawsuit is likely coming,” wrote a third.
“Good for the Chicago Sky exercising their rights.”
© Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
The incident involving former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom occurred Sunday, August 23, during the Indiana Fever’s game against the Chicago Sky in Chicago. Kanter, who has recently inserted himself into the WNBA’s debate over transgender athletes, was sitting courtside wearing a shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”
Late in the third quarter, Sky guard Natasha Cloud approached Kanter and began yelling and pointing at him. Kanter stood up, held his arms out and stepped onto the court as security and several Sky players intervened. Security subsequently escorted Kanter from the arena, while he displayed his shirt to the crowd on his way out.
The confrontation quickly became another flashpoint in the WNBA’s increasingly contentious debate over transgender participation in women’s sports. Kanter had previously announced that he and former NBA player Royce White intended to identify as women and enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, which they presented as a challenge to the league’s eligibility rules.
After being removed Sunday, Kanter claimed on social media that he had been “kicked out” for supporting women, while Cloud did not publicly discuss the confrontation after the game. Sky coach Tyler Marsh defended Cloud, saying she was protecting her team.
