The Chicago Sky have banned former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom from Wintrust Arena, owner Michael Alter told the media on Tuesday afternoon, two days after Kanter Freedom was ejected from the Sky game against the Indiana Fever. "He has demonstrated to us, unequivocally, that he has the potential to be a threat," Alter said. He added that Kanter Freedom will not be allowed back in the Chicago arena "unless sometime in the future, he's able to prove to us that he's able to abide by our rules without being a potential threat." Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter is meeting with local Chicago Sky beat writers and local Chicago media.
Kanter Freedom -- who was wearing a shirt that read "woman noun. adult human female." -- was ejected in the third quarter of Sunday's game after getting into a verbal altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud and walking toward the court. He recently requested to be eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft while trying to insert himself into the conversation about transgender athletes -- which started with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham voicing support for barring transgender athletes from participating in women's sports. Prior to Sunday's game, Kanter Freedom attended a rally supporting Cunningham's beliefs.
At halftime, he posted a photo standing outside the women's restroom, seemingly implying that he should be able to use it if he says he is a woman. Alter spoke to several people seated next to Kanter Freedom at the game to try to get a better idea of how the incident that led to his ejection started. "They each confirmed that the dialogue between Cloud and Kanter started with Kanter," Alter said, per FOS.
"He began to chirp with her sometime in the third quarter. I would characterize it as trash talking, nothing personal. Basketball-related, but enough to get her attention and to engage her, and in my opinion, to try to provoke her." The Chicago Tribune reported that Kanter Freedom did not get an invite to the game.
His ticket was bought under a different name and his agent texted GM Jeff Pagliocca that he was coming. According to Alter, Kanter Freedom and Pagliocca had not spoken in three or four years. The outlet reported that Alter "suggested that a third party might have gifted the tickets to Kanter Freedom," which is common for well-funded activist/agitator groups.
The game started at 6 p.m. CT and Alter said he found out at 2:30 p.m. He said the "one regret" he had was not informing the players that Kanter Freedom would be there.
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