news-engine

Former NBA big man Enes Kanter Freedom has been out of action since the 2021-22 season, but he’s making news for entirely different reasons as he wages war against the WNBA. As a self-proclaimed defender of women’s sports, Kanter has caused a massive disturbance in the league by claiming draft eligibility and challenging WNBA standards around gender identity. Up to now, Kanter was taking a mostly hands-off approach with his quest, but that all changed when he showed up to a recent Chicago Sky game in protest. After being confronted by star Natasha Cloud during the game, he was kicked out in dramatic fashion. Today, the team announced an indefinite suspension of Freedom from Wintrust Arena, labeling him as a “potential threat.” “[Kanter Freedom] has demonstrated to us unequivocally that he has the potential to be a threat,” Sky owner Michael Alter said in a statement, via ESPN. “That he is not able to control himself to the extent that we can be comfortable that he may [not] step towards the court again and towards the players. So that is the basis for which we will not permit him into the building until such time as he can prove otherwise.” According to Kanter, it was Cloud who started the whole altercation after seeing him sitting outside. As a known advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, she likely has strong negative feelings toward Kanter that all came out in the moment. Kanter’s mistake was not answering back, but getting up and taking a step in her direction. It was all the justification the team needed to ban him from the arena. “That all changed when he made a decision to stand up from his seat again, on the court, put his arms out, and point a finger at the player on the court, Natasha Cloud,” Alter told reporters. “And most importantly, he took a step towards the court. That changed everything, and he went from being a fan … to being a potential threat. And that is why the security acted as quickly and swiftly, very smoothly, as they did. It was pretty clear to us that his purpose in coming here was to be provocative and just see how much attention he could get and stir up.” Whether he intended to or not, Kanter’s mere presence at the game was enough to incite rage from players and fans alike. The WNBA is in a fragile state right now, and the last thing they want is for some ex-NBA player to come in and challenge the status quo. That’s why Kanter will not be back at a Chicago Sky game, and it’s why the WNBA won’t even consider his eligibility. Regardless of Kanter’s efforts, they will not let anyone undermine or jeopardize the progress they’ve made. Even so, it’s unlikely that Kanter will just give up the fight. He’s been fighting for issues like this for years now, and the constant backlash has only made him more passionate about the subject. Of course, if he wants to keep trying his WNBA path, he’ll have to try his luck elsewhere after being exiled from Wintrust Arena.