Enes Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player, was removed from a WNBA game at Wintrust Arena on August 23, 2026, following an on-court altercation involving Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The incident occurred late in the third quarter as Cloud appeared to address Freedom, who was seated courtside, after scoring a layup. Freedom stood up and raised his hands before being approached and escorted out by arena security amid boos from the crowd.

Freedom, who played 11 seasons in the NBA and last appeared there in 2002, arrived at the game wearing a shirt with the phrase “Woman _noun._ Adult human female.” After briefly being confronted by security near the arena entrance, he was told to leave. He protested his removal, claiming he was there to support women and deemed the ejection unacceptable. This event comes amid Freedom’s recent challenge to the WNBA’s gender eligibility rules, publicly stating plans to enter the 2027 WNBA draft by identifying as a woman.

The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement states that only female players are eligible to participate but does not explicitly address gender identity. Witnesses at the game, including a Fever fan seated near Freedom, said Freedom did not provoke the incident. The fan recounted that Cloud approached Freedom after her basket, and he reacted calmly. Despite the altercation and Freedom’s removal, the WNBA did not immediately comment on the situation.

Following the game, Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said Cloud did not want to be a distraction and that the team supports her stance. Marsh praised Cloud as a protector of teammates and others, emphasizing the team’s solidarity with her. Cloud was absent from the postgame press conference, with forward Azurá Stevens referring to the incident as a “fan incident” handled by security, while the team focused on the game.