WASHINGTON (TNND) — The WNBA’s debate over transgender athletes spilled into the stands Sunday night when former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from a Chicago Sky game following a heated courtside confrontation with guard Natasha Cloud.
Kanter Freedom stood up and moved toward the court before officials and security intervened. He was ultimately escorted from his courtside seat as the crowd reacted. (TNND)
The incident happened during the Sky’s 113-90 loss to the Indiana Fever at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena. Late in the third quarter, Cloud scored before appearing to point and yell toward Kanter Freedom as players headed toward their benches.
Kanter Freedom stood up and moved toward the court before officials and security intervened. He was ultimately escorted from his courtside seat as the crowd reacted.
The former NBA player attended the game wearing a shirt displaying a dictionary-style definition of “woman” as an “adult human female,” part of his increasingly public campaign against transgender women competing in women’s sports.
Kanter Freedom, who has a history of political activism, recently announced his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft as a protest aimed at forcing the league to address its eligibility rules.
“I think I will be the best draft pick in WNBA history, literally,” Kanter Freedom said during an interview with Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump.”
Kanter Freedom has argued that the WNBA should explicitly limit eligibility to biological females. The league has been discussing transgender-athlete eligibility but has not announced a new policy, saying earlier this month there were no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA.
“I feel like God gave me this huge platform and I’m just trying to be a voice for all those people out there who don’t have a voice,” Kanter Freedom said.
The controversy comes as transgender participation in women’s sports has become an increasingly visible issue around the WNBA.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said in an ESPN profile published earlier this summer that she opposes transgender women competing in women’s sports. Her comments have since generated both support and protests.
The debate was also visible Saturday during the Fever’s game against the New York Liberty. Messages displayed on the arena’s video board included, “Hey trans fans! Glad you’re here!” and “You are loved and you belong.”
Cloud also posted a message supporting transgender people following Sunday’s confrontation, writing in part, “You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen.”
Meanwhile, a Change.org petition calling for the WNBA to adopt female-only eligibility rules has gained thousands of signatures, adding to pressure on the league as the debate moves increasingly from social media into WNBA arenas.