Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from the Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game after a heated exchange with Natasha Cloud. The incident happened late in the third quarter at Wintrust Arena on Sunday.
Cloud approached Freedom after scoring a basket, pointing and yelling toward his courtside seat. Freedom stood up and moved toward the court before security intervened and escorted him away. He wore a shirt reading, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”
The confrontation soon drew a response from former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III. Responding on X, Griffin wrote, “Enes Kanter is causing more harm and damage to the women he claims he is trying to protect. THIS is lame.”
Griffin later added, “EVERYTHING but basketball is leading the conversation about the WNBA and it’s a disservice to the incredible women playing night in and night out.”
Freedom has recently supporting Fever guard Sophie Cunningham amid the WNBA’s debate over gender eligibility. Cunningham previously said she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Freedom has repeatedly praised Cunningham and positioned himself as a supporter of women’s sports. He also declared himself eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft alongside former NBA player Royce White, saying they identify as women.
That campaign has now followed Freedom directly into the arena. His latest confrontation adds to a debate that has increasingly overshadowed the players and games.
Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Freedom entered the NBA after the Utah Jazz selected him third overall in 2011. He played 11 seasons with six teams, including the Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics.
His NBA career ended in 2022, while his public activism continued. Now, Griffin believes Freedom’s approach is distracting from the women he says he supports.
