Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was escorted out of a WNBA game in Chicago on Sunday after a heated verbal exchange with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The incident occurred during the third quarter of the Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena, when Cloud appeared to direct words toward Freedom, who was sitting courtside.
Freedom responded and moved toward the court, prompting security personnel to intervene and remove him from the arena. The incident drew a loud reaction from the Chicago crowd, with spectators reportedly booing as he was escorted away.
Following his removal, Freedom addressed the incident on social media, claiming he had been ejected for “supporting WOMEN.” He later posted another message criticizing Cloud. Freedom had also attended the game wearing a shirt featuring a definition of the word “woman,” adding to the attention surrounding his appearance.
The former NBA player has increasingly become involved in political and cultural debates since retiring from professional basketball. His appearance at the WNBA game came as he has been publicly discussing issues involving women’s sports and gender policy.
After the game, Sky players Azura Stevens and Aicha Coulibaly were asked about the incident. Stevens declined to discuss the confrontation in detail, describing it simply as a “fan incident” that security handled before saying the team would focus on basketball.
The altercation quickly became a major talking point surrounding the game, although the players and team staff largely avoided commenting further on what was said between Freedom and Cloud.