Chicago – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has not announced a formal ban on former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom from attending future games, but league sources told ESPN that he will not be eligible to play in the women’s league.
Incident at Wintrust Arena
During a Chicago Sky home game on Sunday, Freedom was seated courtside in a black T‑shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” A verbal exchange with Sky point guard Natasha Cloud escalated when Cloud approached him during a timeout in the third quarter and shouted. Security intervened, escorted Freedom out of the arena, and instructed him to leave the premises.
According to one source, Freedom had been making comments toward Cloud throughout the game. A nearby fan wearing a gold Caitlin Clark‑themed shirt reported that Freedom only cheered during the broadcast, not that he directed remarks at the player.
Freedom posted on social media after the incident, writing, “I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!”
Eligibility Rules and League Response
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, signed in March, states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” The agreement does not define the term “woman,” and the league currently has no publicly available policy governing the eligibility of transgender or intersex athletes. To date, no transgender woman has competed in the WNBA.
Sources close to the league said both Freedom and former NBA player Royce White, who have publicly declared themselves women and expressed interest in the WNBA draft, are not eligible to play under the existing agreement. The league indicated that there are no immediate instances requiring a formal review of the eligibility language, and it will continue to research the issue.
Broader Context
Freedom has become an outspoken figure in national debates over transgender participation in sports, especially after comments from Chicago Sky guard Sophie Cunningham sparked further discussion. While the WNBA has not indicated any imminent rule changes, the situation highlights ongoing conversations about gender identity, athletic competition, and the constitutional rights of individuals to express their beliefs.
For now, the league’s stance remains that the current eligibility clause stands as written, and any future modifications would likely involve a comprehensive review of the collective bargaining agreement and input from stakeholders across the sport.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
