Chicago Sky team owner Michael Alter said Tuesday Enes Kanter Freedom is barred from Wintrust Arena after his altercation with Natasha Cloud on Sunday.
Alter made the comments in an address to beat writers.
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“He has demonstrated to us, unequivocally, that he has the potential to be a threat,” Alter said, via ESPN.
It’s unclear how Freedom was determined to be a “threat” and whether there are actions he could take to possibly clear himself as such. OutKick reached out to the Sky for further comment.
The incident occurred in the third quarter of the Sky’s loss to the Indiana Fever. Cloud scored a bucket that led to the Fever calling a timeout. She directed her emotion toward Freedom, who was sitting near the basket at the Wintrust Arena. Freedom stood up and walked toward Cloud. Sky players and security had to get in between the two.
Freedom was then escorted out of the arena and was unable to return for the rest of the game.
He explained the situation to OutKick after the game.
“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate,” Freedom said. “Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’
“And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’”
Freedom was wearing a shirt that explained the definition of a woman. He said he believed the shirt contributed to Cloud’s outburst.
“I was cheering for my friend Sophie because when she shot that three, I put my hands in the air,” Freedom said. “A couple possessions later, she came back and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’ And I was shocked. I was like, ‘Listen, I’m not trying to sleep with her. I think she’s awesome. She’s a good friend.’ But I think it has a lot to do with my shirt.
“I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot.”
Alter said Tuesday that Freedom began “chirping” at Cloud in the third quarter.
“He began to chirp with her in the third quarter,” Alter said, via Chicago State of Mind Sports. I would characterize it as trash talking, nothing personal. Basketball-related, but enough to get her attention, engage her, and in my opinion, to try to provoke her.
OutKick reached out to Freedom’s reps for a response to the Sky’s decision.
Cloud didn’t speak at the Sky’s postgame media availability. She fired off a message on Threads in support of the transgender community.
“To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me,” Cloud wrote.
Cloud’s message appeared to be a swipe at Freedom, who announced his intentions to compete in the WNBA as players and coaches have spoken out about trans athletes in women and girls’ sports. Freedom was wearing a T-shirt with the definition of a woman on it.
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Freedom attended his first WNBA game after saying he wanted to join the WNBA. As he entered the arena Sunday afternoon, he was berated by a mob of angry WNBA fans.
He has since maintained he will pursue entering the WNBA Draft.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
