Ex-Lakers Player Backs Enes Kanter Freedom After Heated Natasha Cloud Exchange
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Enes Kanter Freedom has sparked a ripple effect, drawing widespread criticism and public scrutiny after he declared for the WNBA Draft. But things went a bit too far when he had a heated exchange with Natasha Cloud that resulted in his ejection from a WNBA game last night.
Despite being thrown out of the arena and facing heavy criticism, Enes Kanter Freedom found support from former Lakers player Matt Ryan on social media. Kanter proudly posted pictures of his exchange with Natasha Cloud on Instagram, where Ryan commented in support of his cause.
“Just insane times we are living in. Getting demonized for trying to PROTECT women’s sports and calling out the absurdity that the WNBA cannot define what the W is… just unreal and sad. Hopefully you’ll force them to come to their senses, be REAL leaders, and protect the future young women,” the former Lakers player wrote.
ENES KANTER AND NATASHA CLOUD GOING AT IT. pic.twitter.com/Qov6x500re
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 24, 2026
Matt Ryan needs to understand that while his cause may be right, this isn’t the right way to protest his contention; moreover, the ends don’t always justify the means.
Even the WNBA reportedly recognizes that his and Royce White’s actions are mere publicity stunts and should not be taken seriously.
“Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are not eligible to play in the WNBA, league sources tell Front Office Sports. In recent weeks, Freedom and White, two former NBA players, both declared their intention to enter the 2027 WNBA draft, claiming they identify as women,” reported Colin Salao at Front Office Sports.
“A league source called the recent declarations of the two men “simply publicity stunts” and said that the league is “not going to give oxygen to efforts designed to mock the league or use this topic to demean and marginalize others.”
“League sources also say that the WNBA does not have any legitimate and immediate eligibility matters that require action. The league will continue to discuss the topic, but it ‘will not allow outside pressure or manufactured controversy to dictate league processes,’ the source said,” concluded Salao.
The whole argument of who is eligible to play in the WNBA, on one hand, is substantiated by trying to protect biological women and, on the other, by trying to promote more inclusivity.
Instead of directly declaring it during the WNBA Draft and stirring up exchanges during games, Enes Kanter Freedom could have started the discourse on social media, while recognizing that his declaration is, in fact, a publicity stunt.
And if the league wants to promote inclusivity, it should add trans-friendly facilities like washrooms so that players like Enes Kanter Freedom, who have identified as men throughout their lives, can not misuse this liberty. And Kanter should lobby for that internally if he really feels strongly about it.
It’s halftime and I need to use the restroom…
Rules are rules @WNBA pic.twitter.com/4MoAEzKmys
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) August 24, 2026
In a society that strives for equality, women have shown they can compete with anyone on the court. So it would be wrong to just assume that women don’t want to compete with a transgender athlete on the court.
Kanter Freedom is not the right person to speak for what women want. If Kanter Freedom continues to act this way, he is crossing ethical boundaries on several levels as a professional basketball player.
And while I credit the two former players for stirring up controversy and sparking discourse on an important issue, they need to understand that after a point, it is beyond even the WNBA’s power to ascertain what it means to be a woman.
Just because the same issue will likely not arise in the NBA with men (as the NBA has no gender-based eligibility bylaws and allows players of all genders to participate) does not mean players cross an ethical boundary by disrespectfully confining women by defining what it means to be one.