Kanter Freedom ejected from WNBA game after clash with player

Former NBA centre Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected on Sunday from a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after a verbal exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.

Seated courtside, Kanter Freedom rose to his feet with his arms outstretched and moved toward the court after Cloud began pointing and shouting at him during a timeout. He was wearing a T-shirt bearing a statement defining womanhood.

Earlier this month, Kanter Freedom announced plans to enter next season's WNBA Draft, pointing to what he described as unclear eligibility guidelines for transgender women players in the league.

Security personnel and other Sky players stepped in to separate the two, and the former Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics player was subsequently escorted off the court. He later wrote on X that he had been ejected for supporting women.

Cloud, writing on Threads after the game, expressed support for transgender people, saying they belonged to her community and would always be protected by her.

Reports indicated Kanter Freedom spoke with police officers before leaving Chicago's Wintrust Arena. The Fever went on to win the game 113-90.

Sky head coach Tyler Marsh told reporters afterward that fans attending games should focus on enjoying the basketball, adding that the players had earned that kind of respect and that, as a former player himself, Kanter Freedom should understand this.