Absurd: Confrontation between former basketball player and WNBA star over a t-shirt
Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from a game between Indiana and Chicago after a verbal altercation with Natasha Cloud. Freedom sat in the stands wearing a shirt that read "Woman - adult human female" as part of his campaign against the inclusion of transgender women in the league, and the event escalated until security was forced to remove him.
A storm at the WNBA game between Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky: former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from the arena after a verbal altercation with Chicago player Natasha Cloud. Kanter sat in the front row wearing a black shirt that read: "WOMAN noun. adult human female".
The incident occurred towards the end of the third quarter, when during a timeout, Cloud began approaching Kanter while shouting at him. The former player stood up from his seat, spread his arms, and began moving toward the court, but security personnel stopped him and ordered him to leave the arena. Cloud, for her part, was restrained by her teammates and security staff as she continued to shout and point at Kanter. Afterward, she spoke with team officials and league security, but did not address the incident with the media.
Chicago coach Tyler Marsh addressed the event after the game, in which his team was defeated 113:90:
"There are so many good things in this league and so many good things in what these players do. If you come to a game, you should come to enjoy the basketball. It seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that and we have earned that."
Marsh added, referring to Kanter's past as an NBA player: "If you are a former basketball player, you probably should understand and feel that too."
On his way out of the arena, Kanter continued to confront the situation. He clapped his hands, mimicked Cloud by moving his hand near his mouth, protested the security decision, and then lifted his shirt to show it to the crowd. Shortly after, he posted his version of events on social media: "I just got kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting women! Let that sink in, America!"
Even outside the arena, an incident occurred between Kanter and fans. In a video he posted before the game, he is seen smiling during a confrontation with several fans, raising his hands with palms facing out, and then putting them behind his back and continuing on his way into the arena.
Kanter, who played for 11 seasons in the NBA, has become in recent years one of the most prominent voices in the public debate surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports. He was also involved in the discussion that arose following the statements of Indiana player Sophie Cunningham regarding the non-inclusion of transgender athletes in the league. At one point, he even declared that he was eligible to participate in the WNBA draft, claiming that he identifies as a woman.
The storm surrounding the issue also comes against the backdrop of the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, signed in March, which states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." However, the agreement does not have a further definition of the term "woman," and the league does not have a publicly available policy defining the eligibility conditions for transgender athletes.
Even before the game, Cunningham was asked about the public noise that has accompanied Indiana recently, regarding issues on the court and especially off it.
"Personally, I lean a lot on my faith and my close circle. It keeps me focused. I have been calm throughout this whole time. I am true to myself and proud of who I am and the way I was raised."
