CALGARY — Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom says he is considering legal action against the Chicago Sky and team owner Michael Alter after being ejected from a game and subsequently banned from the team's home arena.Freedom discussed the incident during an appearance on Fox News' Hannity, saying he maintains that he did not violate any arena rules and disputes the Sky's characterization of his actions.“I didn't break any of the rules,” Freedom said during the interview. He indicated that he and his legal team are considering action against the Sky and Alter following his removal from the Aug. 23 game between the Sky and Indiana Fever.Freedom, who was sitting courtside, was wearing a shirt that read “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” During a timeout, Sky guard Natasha Cloud approached Freedom and the two became involved in a verbal exchange..Video showed Freedom standing and extending his arms as Cloud approached. He then took a step onto the court before security and several Sky players intervened. Freedom was subsequently escorted from the arena.Freedom has disputed the characterization of the incident, saying he did not touch Cloud or intentionally enter the playing area. He has also argued that Cloud should have been removed following the confrontation.Alter said the team believed Freedom had been attempting to provoke Cloud through basketball-related “trash talking.” According to Alter, the situation changed when Freedom stood up, extended his arms and moved toward the court.“He went from being a fan, an obnoxious fan but a fan, to being a potential threat,” Alter said.The team subsequently banned Freedom from attending Sky games at Wintrust Arena. Alter said the ban would remain in place unless Freedom could demonstrate that he could follow the organization's rules without being considered a potential threat. Alter has also defended the decision to remove Freedom without first issuing a warning..Freedom has publicly criticized transgender participation in women's athletics and recently announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Former NBA player Royce White has made a similar declaration. A person familiar with the league's position told The Associated Press that the two are not eligible to play in the WNBA.The WNBA's existing draft rules contain requirements beyond simply submitting a declaration. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, domestic players generally must meet age and college-eligibility requirements, while the agreement contains separate provisions for players who attended four-year colleges and for international players.The WNBA has also addressed the broader controversy surrounding transgender participation.In a statement, the league described recent efforts to provoke controversy over transgender athletes as "bad-faith" efforts and said there were no current eligibility issues involving transgender players. The league said it remained committed to fair competition and respectful discussion.The controversy follows comments from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham about transgender athletes in women's sports, which generated debate both inside and outside the league.
