Enes Kanter Freedom is officially banned from attending any future Chicago Sky home games, a move applauded by Sky star Natasha Cloud after their heated confrontation last Sunday. Cloud didn’t mince words, calling Freedom “unimportant” and an “irrelevant threat to our lives” in the wake of the incident.
The On-Court Confrontation That Got Ugly
The whole thing exploded last Sunday at the Sky’s home game against the Indiana Fever. Freedom was sitting right along the baseline, wearing a black shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” Late in the third quarter, with 1:22 left, Cloud scored inside. After chest-bumping with teammate Aicha Coulibaly, Cloud turned and walked directly toward Freedom, yelling and pointing at him. Freedom stood up, held his arms out, and even stepped onto the court before security and a handful of Sky players quickly moved to separate the two. Cloud was absolutely clear about her feelings on the court, stating, “I will not talk about an irrelevant threat to our lives because that’s exactly what it is.”
Cloud’s Stance and the Front Office’s Big Move
Cloud’s dismissal of Freedom’s presence and views has been unwavering. She flat out said she wouldn’t waste time and energy talking about “anything that happened with an irrelevant person.” For Cloud, her focus is on “what actually affects women and children currently in 2026,” specifically naming domestic violence, sexual assault, and food insecurities as critical issues. She made it crystal clear where she stands, saying, “it’s not our trans human beings, and it’s not our drag queens. It’s not our gay community.” That’s a powerful statement, and Sky owner Michael Alter definitely heard it, banning Freedom from all future home games. Cloud was quick to praise the decision, saying the front office acted to “protect the players” and adding, “That’s what protection looks like on the whole. I want everyone to hear that. That’s what protection looks like from the right.”
More Than Just a Game: What’s Really at Stake
This whole situation comes as Freedom and Royce White, another former NBA player, have declared for the WNBA draft, claiming they identify as women. However, a source familiar with the decision confirmed they are not eligible. The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement restricts the league to women, but it doesn’t have specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. There’s never been a transgender player in the WNBA’s history. Cloud actually wishes the discussion was about the amazing season the WNBA is having, with strong ratings; that Indiana game pulled in 3.3 million viewers, the most since the league’s inaugural 1997 season. She said a fan who identifies as trans cried to her, explaining, “this is why I do what I do.” Cloud emphasized that “None of this is performative” and that while she doesn’t “want to be the one that always has to speak up,” she recognizes “somebody (expletive) has to do it.” That’s the passion we need.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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