Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter doubled down on his decision to bar Enes Kanter Freedom from future WNBA games at Wintrust Arena, claiming the former NBA player was no more entitled to a warning than someone who would &#8220;shoot a gun at someone.&#8221;
Alter told OutKick that Freedom had been identified as a threat when he stood up and approached the court, hands raised — at Sunday&#8217;s game featuring the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky — in response to comments shouted at him by Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He went on to suggest that Freedom had not been given a &#8220;warning&#8221; before he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-banned-from-chicago-sky-home-games-as-potential-threat">ejected from the game</a> because the threat he represented was so serious.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter says Enes Kanter Freedom became a “potential threat” when he stepped toward the court, defending the decision to eject him without warning.
Asked why Freedom wasn’t warned first, Alter compared it to shooting a gun: “Certain threats don’t get… <a href="https://t.co/95l3PP8Iir">pic.twitter.com/95l3PP8Iir</a>
— OutKick (@Outkick) <a href="https://x.com/Outkick/status/2092738568309682530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;He wasn’t given a warning because certain threats don’t get warnings. He was given a lot of leeway, as I was saying, he was sitting there and he was trash talking her and all that, so he was certainly given leeway, but at a certain point, when somebody — I mean, to use an extreme example, when you shoot a gun at someone, you don’t get a warning, ‘Don’t do that again.’ Your action doesn’t deserve a warning. You take action that becomes a threat, you don’t get a warning,&#8221; Alter said.
Freedom responded to the wild comparison, saying of Alter, &#8220;I mean, he needs to check himself.&#8221;
The former NBA player — who has declared for the 2027 WNBA draft based on the league&#8217;s vague guidelines regarding gender identification — said he may pursue legal action against the team and its owner.
&#8220;I’m not talking about against the WNBA, but I think against Michael Alter and the Chicago Sky for sure. Like, I don’t think they know what they’re talking about,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Me and my legal team will definitely be taking actions against Chicago Sky and Michael Alter.&#8221;
Freedom said he was at the game to support Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham, whom he calls a friend, who has been the target of harassment since she went public with her support for biological women and girls in athletics.

Indiana Fever v Chicago Sky

WNBA Owner Compares Enes Kanter Freedom To Shooting A Gun

WNBA Owner Claims Enes Kanter Freedom Posed Threat Equal To Firing A Gun

Basketball

Enes Kanter Freedom

Guns

Politics

Threat

Transgender

WNBA

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has been banned from future Chicago Sky home games after a confrontation with guard Natasha Cloud led to his ejection from Sunday&#8217;s game.
Sky owner Michael Alter told local reporters on Tuesday that Freedom would not be allowed to attend the team&#8217;s games at Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena unless he was first &#8220;able to prove to our satisfaction that he is able to abide by our rules without being a potential threat.&#8221;
&#8220;He has demonstrated to us, unequivocally, that he has the potential to be a threat,&#8221; Alter said.
&#8220;The fact that we&#8217;re having this conversation to me is just really sad,&#8221; Alter continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s a shame that we&#8217;re spending as much time as we are on this and not the wonderful things that are happening in our league — or even some of the not-so-wonderful things, like the Sky not making the playoffs for the third year in a row. I&#8217;m sure those are the things we should be talking about.&#8221;
Alter accused Freedom of attending the game to provoke a reaction and attract attention.
&#8220;It was pretty clear to us that his purpose of coming here was trying to be provocative, to see how much attention he could get and stir up,&#8221; Alter said.
Alter <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky/2026/08/25/sky-ban-enes-kanter-freedom-from-games-according-to-principal-owner-michael-alter">added</a> that he interviewed people seated near Freedom who told him that Freedom initiated the exchange by directing basketball-related trash talk at Cloud.
Freedom, who attended the game wearing a shirt reading &#8220;WOMAN. Noun. Adult human female,&#8221; claimed that he&#8217;d attended the game to support Indiana Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham, who&#8217;s been the target of protests since she declared her stance on defending biological females and girls in athletics. Sunday&#8217;s confrontation came after he raised both arms in celebration of a Cunningham three-pointer.
He said that during the next possession, Cloud approached the baseline where he was seated and shouted at him, saying that Cunningham was never going to sleep with him. Freedom, who said that Cunningham is just a friend, stood up and stepped toward the court — but a number of players and officials stepped between him and Cloud, and he was escorted from the arena before things could escalate further.
After a brief conversation with security, Freedom left the venue.

Enes Kanter Freedom Banned From Chicago Sky Home Games As ‘Potential Threat’

Chicago

Sports

Women's sports

The WNBA has a rule saying only women can play. What it doesn&#8217;t have, at least publicly, is an explanation of what exactly makes someone a woman.
Enter Enes Kanter Freedom.
The former NBA player is putting that question to the test after ESPN reported that multiple sources around the league said he and fellow former NBA player Royce White are not eligible to play in the WNBA.
There&#8217;s a reason two former NBA players suddenly want into the women&#8217;s league.
Both men have declared themselves women and eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. The move is meant to force the league to confront a question that has been hanging over it for weeks.
Who qualifies as a woman under WNBA rules?
Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the WNBA&#8217;s collective bargaining agreement states: &#8220;Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.&#8221;
That&#8217;s it.
<div id="attachment_1164645" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1164645" class="wp-image-1164645 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Michael Reaves/Getty Images</div>
The agreement does not go on to define the word &#8220;woman,&#8221; and the WNBA does not have a publicly available policy governing the eligibility of transgender or intersex athletes, according to ESPN.
So when Fox News host Laura Ingraham pressed Freedom Monday night on whether he is actually a transgender woman, Freedom turned the question back to the league&#8217;s rules.
&#8220;Listen Section 13 right Uh Article 13 Section 1 says if you identify as a woman then you&#8217;re allowed to play,&#8221; Freedom said.
Ingraham asked whether that meant he was identifying as a woman.
&#8220;I identify as a woman, sure, yes,&#8221; Freedom responded.
Freedom&#8217;s description goes further than what the CBA actually says. The agreement does not state that simply identifying as a woman makes someone eligible. It says only that players who are women may play, without publicly explaining how the league determines who meets that requirement.
And that&#8217;s the loophole Freedom is trying to expose.
&#8220;But right now if you identify as a woman you&#8217;re allowed to play and I am identifying as a woman and I am I should be allowed to play it,&#8221; Freedom told Ingraham.
The WNBA didn&#8217;t find itself answering questions about transgender athletes because of Freedom, however.
That started with Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Cunningham set off a national debate earlier this summer when she spoke out against men competing against women and girls.
&#8220;I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I&#8217;m like, I never once said that,&#8221; Cunningham told ESPN. &#8220;I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men.&#8221;
Cunningham later described her position as &#8220;common sense.&#8221; Her comments turned what had largely been a broader political debate into a very real WNBA headache.
Protests and counterprotests began following the Fever on the road. Other players weighed in. The league was suddenly facing questions about who should be allowed to compete in women&#8217;s basketball.
There was just one problem. There wasn&#8217;t actually a transgender player attempting to enter the WNBA.
Freedom and White decided to change that.
Freedom played 11 seasons in the NBA, while White was a first-round NBA Draft pick in 2012. Both men declared themselves women and eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft, transforming a largely hypothetical debate into a direct challenge to the league&#8217;s eligibility language.
Freedom then took the fight courtside.
He attended Sunday&#8217;s Indiana Fever game against the Chicago Sky wearing a black shirt that read, &#8220;WOMAN noun. adult human female.&#8221;
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During a timeout late in the third quarter, Sky guard Natasha Cloud confronted Freedom, and Freedom took several steps toward the court before security intervened and escorted him from Wintrust Arena.
&#8220;I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN!&#8221; Freedom wrote afterward. &#8220;Let that sink in, AMERICA!&#8221;
A day later, ESPN reported that sources around the league said Freedom and White would not be eligible to play.
ESPN also reported that there are currently no cases requiring the WNBA to make an eligibility determination and that the league plans to continue researching and reviewing the issue. No known transgender woman has played in the WNBA.
That leaves Freedom with essentially the same question he started with: if the WNBA says he isn&#8217;t eligible, what exactly is the rule that makes him ineligible?
Freedom said he&#8217;ll follow it if the league spells it out.
&#8220;If they ever come out and say &#8216;Okay we are changing the rules,&#8217; I respect their decision,&#8221; Freedom told Ingraham. &#8220;I will, you know, follow the rules.&#8221;
For now, the league&#8217;s written rule remains remarkably simple: only women can play in the WNBA.
Freedom&#8217;s challenge is just as simple.
Define one.

Enes Kanter Freedom Responds After WNBA Says He’s Not A Woman

Sophie Cunningham

What Is A Woman

Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud posted a message supporting transgender-identifying people after her viral confrontation with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom during Sunday night&#8217;s game ended with Freedom being ejected from the arena.
&#8220;<span class="x1lliihq x1plvlek xryxfnj x1n2onr6 xyejjpt x15dsfln xi7mnp6 x193iq5w xeuugli x1fj9vlw x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x1i0vuye xjohtrz xo1l8bm xw2npq5 x1yc453h" dir="auto">To every trans kid/person, <span class="x1lliihq x1plvlek xryxfnj x1n2onr6 xyejjpt x15dsfln xi7mnp6 x193iq5w xeuugli x1fj9vlw x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x1i0vuye xjohtrz xo1l8bm xw2npq5 x1yc453h" dir="auto">You are apart [sic] of MY community &amp; tribe,&#8221; Cloud wrote in a <a href="https://www.threads.com/@t__cloud9/post/DcaByfOEQ3I?xmt=AQG0XWBinCGeIgt5PW0YPLuQ_rvf9e3PLVcGtZ948kU9zHgBF32l6eeZDjQR2dz8Tt8Fuug&amp;slof=1">post</a> on Threads. &#8220;You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. &amp; you will always be protected by me.&#8221;
Her post came shortly after a mid-game confrontation in which she shouted at Freedom, who was seated by the baseline wearing a T-shirt defining a woman as an &#8220;adult human female.&#8221;
Cloud had just scored a basket with just over a minute left in the third quarter of Chicago&#8217;s game against the Indiana Fever when the Fever called a timeout. Cloud used the stoppage to approach Freedom and shout at him from the court. Freedom stood up and raised both arms while stepping toward the court before players and officials got between them.
Freedom was ultimately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-booted-from-wnba-game-after-confrontation">escorted from his courtside seat</a> and spoke briefly with police before leaving Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena. He later told OutKick that he believed his shirt had provoked Cloud&#8217;s outburst.
&#8220;I was cheering for my friend Sophie [Cunningham] because when she shot that three, I put my hands in the air,&#8221; Freedom told the outlet. &#8220;A couple possessions later, [Cloud] came back and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’ And I was shocked. I was like, ‘Listen, I’m not trying to sleep with her. I think she’s awesome. She’s a good friend.’ But I think it has a lot to do with my shirt. I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot.&#8221;
Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham has been the target of protests since she stood up for protecting women and girls in sports, and a number of other WNBA players and coaches have taken the opposite position.
The issue has also sparked confrontations involving fans. A Seattle Storm co-owner was accused of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-co-owner-accused-of-cursing-out-teen-girls-over-xx-xy-shirts">scolding teenage girls</a> who wore XX-XY Athletics gear to a game, while a mother and daughter attending an Atlanta Dream game recently said they were told to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-sophie-cunningham-fans-targeted-again">cover up</a> their XX-XY shirts or leave the arena.
Freedom entered the debate after reviewing the WNBA&#8217;s eligibility rules, claiming that he met the qualifications to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-former-nba-player-says-hes-entering-wnba-draft-threatens-discrimination-suit">declare</a> for the 2027 WNBA draft. Fellow former NBA player Royce White followed with a nearly identical announcement, adding that he &#8220;sometimes&#8221; identified as a transgender woman and planned to sue for discrimination if he went undrafted.

WNBA Player Makes Transgender Pledge After Enes Kanter Freedom Confrontation

WNBA Player Responds After Dustup That Got Enes Kanter Freedom Ousted From Game

Women's Basketball

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy ripped Enes Kanter Freedom after the former NBA player&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-reveals-what-led-to-wnba-courtside-confrontation?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=Sports&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Enes+Kanter+Freedom+Reveals+What+Led+To+WNBA+Courtside+Confrontation">courtside clash</a> with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud on Sunday night.
Portnoy said that while he agrees with Freedom&#8217;s stance on keeping men out of women&#8217;s sports, he argued that Freedom is &#8220;making this issue about him.&#8221; Freedom and Cloud engaged in a viral confrontation late in the third quarter of the game between the Sky and the Fever, and Freedom was ejected from the arena.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think boys should be allowed to play in girls sports. I also think Enes Kanter is an absolute clown for making this issue about him,&#8221; Portnoy <a href="https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/2091696406863974812">wrote</a> on X.
The famed sports commentator argued that Freedom&#8217;s action took the spotlight off of women playing in Sunday night&#8217;s game as Freedom&#8217;s fiery confrontation drew attention away from Fever star Caitlin Clark&#8217;s dominant performance of 37 points and 10 assists.
&#8220;We should be talking about how Caitlin had another double double 37 and 10,&#8221; Portnoy added.
Some social media users, however, pointed out that very few people would have paid attention to the Fever&#8217;s game against the Sky if the clash between Freedom and Cloud hadn&#8217;t taken place.
&#8220;Except not even the WNBA wants to talk about Clark having a double double 37 and 10. That&#8217;s what led to all of this in the first place,&#8221; conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller wrote. &#8220;Portnoy isn&#8217;t wrong, but it&#8217;s the WNBA that caused all of this.&#8221;
Conservative activist Billboard Chris slammed Portnoy, arguing that Freedom is &#8220;defending women and girls from the cult of trans in the most effective way he possibly can.&#8221;
&#8220;I have never cared about a double double in the WNBA and I never will, like 99% of men,&#8221; he added. &#8220;But I care about this. Those women should all thank him for improving their ratings and their future paychecks.&#8221;
Freedom sat courtside at the game to support Cunningham, wearing a shirt that stated the definition of a woman as “adult human female.” He claimed that Cloud began shouting at him shortly after he celebrated a three-pointer made by Cunningham.
“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate. Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’” Kanter told OutKick. “And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’”
Portnoy has been one of the WNBA&#8217;s biggest critics, regularly ripping the league&#8217;s inexplicable bias against Clark. He also defended Fever guard Sophie Cunningham after she was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/black-player-clocks-sophie-cunningham-then-complains-about-white-privilege-after-ejection">leveled</a> by Sky player DiJonai Carrington during a game earlier this month. Cunningham has become the center of attention in the WNBA following her comments on keeping men out of women&#8217;s sports last month. But Freedom&#8217;s response to the WNBA, including his declaration for the WNBA draft, is not helping solve issues in the league, according to Portnoy.
Freedom played his final years for the Boston Celtics, Portnoy&#8217;s favorite team, and in 2019, Portnoy said he was excited for the 6-foot-10 center to join the Celtics.
&#8220;I love Kanter. I love this new look Celtics team. Back to guys with heart who want to be here and win,&#8221; Portnoy <a href="https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/1145758476012048384">said</a> after Freedom signed with Boston.

Portnoy Enes

Dave Portnoy Calls Enes Kanter Freedom An ‘Absolute Clown’ After WNBA Courtside Clash

Dave Portnoy

Indiana Fever

Former NBA player and current WNBA prospect Enes Kanter Freedom said Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud made a crude remark toward him. Moments later, the two were in a viral courtside confrontation that ended with Freedom being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-booted-from-wnba-game-after-confrontation?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Enes+Kanter+Freedom+Booted+From+WNBA+Game+After+Confrontation">ejected</a> from the arena.
The wild scene unfolded during Sunday night&#8217;s game between the Sky and the Indiana Fever.
Freedom <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/enes-kanter-freedom-opens-confrontation-natasha-cloud-led-ejection-wnba-pursuit">told</a> OutKick that his heated confrontation with Cloud began shortly after Freedom celebrated Fever guard Sophie Cunningham nailing a three-pointer in the third quarter. Freedom was in attendance to support Cunningham, wearing a shirt that stated the definition of a woman as &#8220;adult human female.&#8221;
&#8220;Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate. Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’&#8221; Kanter told OutKick. &#8220;And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’&#8221;
Video of the heated exchange showed Cloud approach Freedom as her teammates rushed to hold her back. Freedom stood with his arms outstretched and exchanged words with Cloud before arena security stepped in front of him and led him to the exit.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/J4xLkXQdkZfx0241wLkaYoN3w7rIIQZk1?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=6c6eddda-38b1-4cc0-8e65-2e70991c0f62&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-08-23%20Enes%20Kanter%20Freedom%20Booted%20From%20WNBA%20Game&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F07f1e6a0-3928-4b0e-a7ff-15a6c6005e9e.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
&#8220;She started to actually cuss,&#8221; Freedom added. &#8220;And I was very shocked. There were a lot of kids and there were a lot of teenagers at that game, and I just cannot believe that she was just cussing and using those F-bombs in front of all these kids.&#8221;
The former NBA forward said that he asked security why they were forcing him to leave since Cloud instigated the confrontation. As he was forced out of the arena, Freedom said he also spoke to police officers.
The fiery exchange came as the WNBA grapples with the question of allowing men into the women&#8217;s league. While no trans-identifying men currently play in the WNBA, the increasing number of men dominating other women&#8217;s sports has sparked debate about whether the WNBA should address the issue. Last month, Cunningham made comments on protecting girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s sports that thrust the issue into the spotlight in the WNBA.
“I’m not a very political person, but I do have beliefs,” she said. “I have morals, and I’ll always stand on those and be true to who I am, and I think people are going to take it how they want to take it. … When it comes to protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that.”
Freedom, along with former NBA player Royce White, have backed Cunningham during the controversy and recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft">declared</a> for the WNBA draft in an attempt to force the league&#8217;s hand on the issue. The WNBA, however, has refused to take a stand on keeping men out of the league and held a meeting on transgender athletes earlier this month, but came to no conclusion on men playing in women&#8217;s sports.

Enes Kanter Freedom Reveals What Led To WNBA Courtside Confrontation

Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom got booted from Sunday night&#8217;s WNBA game (Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky) at Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena after a brief confrontation with a player on the court.
Freedom, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the definition of the word &#8220;woman,&#8221; was ejected just before the end of the third quarter after a brief confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. With 1:22 left in the quarter, Cloud scored – and the Fever called for a timeout.
Cloud approached the baseline where Freedom was seated, pointing and shouting at him — and he raised both arms and stepped toward the court. Several other players and officials jumped between them, preventing the confrontation from escalating.
Freedom spoke briefly with police before leaving the arena.
He had attended the game, as well as a pregame rally, to show his support for Indiana Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham — who has become a popular target for pro-trans activists since she declared her support for biological women in sports and sex-specific spaces for women and girls.
Protests and rallies have followed the Fever to several recent games, and on several occasions, women and girls who have shown their support — either for biological women in sports or for Cunningham — have been harassed or told that if they didn&#8217;t cover up their XX-XY Athletics shirts, they would be forced to leave.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-former-nba-player-says-hes-entering-wnba-draft-threatens-discrimination-suit">WNBA&#8217;s</a> unwillingness to draw a hard line between male and female prompted Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White to declare for the 2027 WNBA draft.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Freedom had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared himself a 2027 prospect</a>, saying that he had reviewed the league’s self-identification framework and met its requirements.
White said the same, adding that he was &#8220;a sometimes identifying transgender woman&#8221; and said that if he was not drafted, he would &#8220;have to file a discrimination lawsuit, right?&#8221;

Enes Kanter Freedom Booted From WNBA Game After Confrontation

Transgender Athletes

When Shane Gillis hosted the ESPYs in 2025, he put the spotlight on a woman in the crowd who he said was a four-time WNBA all-star. Everyone clapped, until he told them that it wasn’t a WNBA player at all. It was just his friend’s wife. Nobody knew, because nobody cares.
&#8220;I knew none of you knew WNBA players,&#8221; Gillis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s crazy.&#8221;
Well, Mr. Gillis, the WNBA might get the last laugh because that’s all about to change. The WNBA could soon get a shot of pure testosterone, dressed up as an athlete with feminine feelings.
Based on current eligibility rules and draft announcements, the next draft is slated to be the most stacked ever in WNBA history. The three players expected at the top of the draft will change the DNA of their new franchises forever, bringing a level of play that has never been seen in the league before.
It’s obviously still the current season, so the actual draft order is just a guess. We’re obviously not tracking the standings of the season — as Gillis proved, nobody is — so it’s barely an educated guess, but I have covered women’s basketball for much longer than any of you, so trust my analysis.
With all the buzz surrounding the WNBA and the marquee talent joining next season, it’s a great time to look at the future of women&#8217;s basketball with a Way Too Early WNBA 2027 Mock Draft.
<h3>1. Enes Kanter Freedom — Connecticut Sun</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1156043 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></div>
Enes Kanter Freedom is a WNBA coach’s dream.
She stands 6’10 and weighs around 250 pounds, which would make her the most physically dominant player in the league.  Enes will team up with Brittney Griner, yep Brittney hasn’t made it in the NBA…yet. It&#8217;s been four years since Kanter played pro ball, but check out this video: she is jacked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Let “The Transition” to the <a href="https://x.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> begin.
Rules Are Rules!<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/LetFreedomPlay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetFreedomPlay</a> <a href="https://t.co/EWWjrl7DaL">pic.twitter.com/EWWjrl7DaL</a>
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://x.com/EnesFreedom/status/2087185917047971948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
She is also a former WWE title holder. Kanter took down R-Truth back in 2019 in front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden — far larger than any WNBA crowd — to claim the WWE 24/7 Championship. Her run in sports entertainment will help Kanter with the theatrics that happen night in and night out in the WNBA. Kanter will make a splash in season one.
<h3>2. Royce White — Washington Mystics.</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156015" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156015" class="size-large wp-image-1156015" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Royce White X Account</div>
Get you a <a href="https://x.com/Highway_30/status/2086316310309347564?s=20">girl</a> who can do both! White is working on her game and a political aspirations. Playing in D.C. gives her the perfect opportunity to fulfill both duties to the country and WNBA. A standout at Iowa State, he led the Cyclones in scoring, posted one of the best seasons in Iowa State history, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. The Mystics will raise its stock significantly with this addition.
<h3>3. Julie Tetart — Toronto Tempo</h3>
<div id="attachment_1151143" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1151143" class="wp-image-1151143 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="542" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--300x159.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--768x407.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller-.jpg 1058w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Instagram: Julie Tétart</div>
Pronounced like Mater from the PIXAR film “Cars,” this French woman bailed on being a man at 29 years old and has since dominated the women’s French basketball league. She’s the reigning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Domestic Player of the Year in the league with her eyes set on the next prize which is that WNBA paycheck. Check out her highlights from last season:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Julie Tetart&#8217;s best games last season in the Monaco Basket Association 👀
32 PTS, 25 REB (14/16 FG) 
29 PTS, 22 REB (9/10 FG) 
25 PTS, 25 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 28 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 23 REB (11/11 FG) 
21 PTS, 30 REB, 5 STL 
30 PTS, 21 REB (11/15 FG)<a href="https://t.co/pdzZWIfG05">pic.twitter.com/pdzZWIfG05</a>
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://x.com/Ballislife/status/2085004697023205845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
It’s a top-heavy draft, and this is where the weight may run out. These are the only three players you need to know next season. They will own every category in the league.
They&#8217;re the only three that have declared intent, but now that the seal is broken, we foresee more league-changing talent right around the corner. I went ahead and rounded out the top 10 prospects in the 2027 WNBA Draft.
<h3>4. Kyle Guy</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156537" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156537" class="size-large wp-image-1156537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</div>
What a year to be the first Guy in the WNBA. He won a national championship for Virginia in 2019, had a few years in the NBA, and has now transitioned into a whole new era of basketball: 3 v 3, internationally. Sounds to me like the road back home runs through the WNBA.
Another transition could be intriguing for Guy.
<h3>5. Jimmy Butler</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156543" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156543" class="size-large wp-image-1156543" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Sam Navarro/Getty Images</div>
One of my favorite players. Always down for a rebrand. Remember Emo Jimmy with the painted black nails?
He could be an absolute trendsetter in the WNBA.
<h3>6. Tristan Thompson</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156547" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156547" class="size-large wp-image-1156547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Rich Storry/Getty Images</div>
He has children with a Kardashian. He knows business and continuing his basketball career in the WNBA would be a great business opportunity, plus Caitlyn Jenner can help him with his feminine side.
<h3>7. Grayson Allen</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156555" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156555" class="size-large wp-image-1156555" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images</div>
Big Ted Cruz guy. Allen has a Reddit account dedicated to his favorite books&#8230; You know women love a book club.
<h3>8. Dwight Howard</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156557" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156557" class="size-large wp-image-1156557" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: John Nacion/Getty Images for Fanatics</div>
We’ve all heard the rumors…
<h3>9. Dwayne Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156561" class="size-large wp-image-1156561" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</div>
Since he endorsed his adolescent son&#8217;s transition. It&#8217;s safe to assume he&#8217;s a major ally for men in women’s sports.
<h3>10. Zaya Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156571" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156571" class="size-large wp-image-1156571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images</div>
Dwayne Wade&#8217;s son has been identifying as a girl since she was 12. Seven years later, he could be a PR star for the league. It&#8217;s in his DNA.
The 2027 WNBA Draft is set for April of next year. Tune in for our next round of updates.

Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images/ Royce White

Our Way Too Early WNBA Mock Draft: Testosterone-Fueled Talent Shakes Up Board

Enes Kanter

News

The WNBA has a problem it never thought it would have to solve: How to define the first letter of its acronym, the one that explicitly distinguishes it from its brother league, the NBA.
For years, the WNBA has served as sports’ loudest megaphone for wokeness. In 2021, the league identified “LGBTQ+ advocacy with a focus on trans rights” as one of its Justice Movement priorities and conducted education sessions on trans inclusivity. Its members have recently criticized anyone who questioned whether biological sex should determine participation in women’s sports.
Last week, the coaches got in on the game. Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a “Trans Kids Belong” t-shirt while coaching a game. Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase spoke out strongly in favor of inclusivity and the inclusion of trans women. And when Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White was pressed about a biological male playing in the WNBA, she responded that she didn’t believe “exclusion is an answer.”
But its own rulebook presents a debate. The league says its players must be women. But it has never clearly defined what makes someone a woman for eligibility purposes. It is an exercise that would have seemed preposterous at the league’s founding 30 years ago, so I’ll offer them sympathy there, but I immediately rescind it for the self-inflicted mess they currently find themselves in.
And my popcorn is in the microwave for the show that is about to unfold as two former NBA players — Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White — are declaring eligibility for the 2027 WNBA draft. <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dominating-french-trans-basketball-player-131808693.html">This approach is already being tested in France,</a> where transgender basketball player Julie Tetart is dominating the women’s pro league, averaging 21 points and 20 rebounds per game, and winning the Player of the Year recognition. She said she, too, is open to playing in the WNBA.
Regardless of how one feels about the seriousness of Kanter or White, they are not the WNBA’s problem. They are the stress test. When an institution makes identity a central organizing principle, it eventually must answer the practical question: What happens when identity collides with the rules of the game? That is what has happened here.
Enter Sophie Cunningham — one of the league’s most marketable stars — who said she wanted to protect girls from having to compete against biological males and stood by her decision. Then came the backlash: criticism from other players, Seattle Storm owner Celeste Keaton verbally abusing two young girls supporting Cunningham before a game, and the physical assault Cunningham has taken on the court since, which certainly makes one wonder.
The league decided to have a very public ideological debate over whether biological sex should matter, and so along comes Kanter and White in one of culture’s ultimate “gotcha!” moments to essentially say, “Let’s see whether you actually believe what you are saying.”
Kanter, an 11-year NBA veteran, has read the league’s rulebook and reviewed its eligibility criteria, and believes its vagueness allows him to simply declare himself eligible. Perhaps more creatively, White is identifying as transgender for the purposes of competing in women’s basketball.
If the league believes identity is sufficient, then the devastating question becomes, “What objective test distinguishes a sincere transgender applicant from someone exploiting an undefined rule?”
The Women’s National Basketball Association must now answer: What is a woman? And thus, it is presented with a brutal catch-22. If the league says, “Women’s basketball is for biological females,” it contradicts years of its own messaging around trans inclusion. They would be selling out and turning their back on a community they have championed louder than most for years. But if they say, “If you identify as a woman, you’re eligible.” Now what? Can they turn away Kanter and White? Two players who would essentially guarantee a championship to any team they join?
The ultimate question for the WNBA is, “If biological sex doesn’t matter, why should an NBA player’s biological sex suddenly matter when he enters the WNBA? That’s the question the league is forced to answer, and every option is an airball.
Most likely, the WNBA will dismiss Kanter and White as a publicity stunt, but the damage is done. Eventually someone will come along who isn’t a stunt. Imagine someone who transitioned a decade ago, lives full-time as a woman, has undergone hormone treatment, plays professional basketball, genuinely wants to play in the WNBA, and meets whatever current criteria the league establishes. Some would call this scenario a slam dunk.
The WNBA is proving on a very public scale the fallacies that permeate woke culture. Conviction looks great on a t-shirt, until it’s tested in real-world circumstances. For years, the league told us that gender identity deserved recognition. Now gender is asking for a roster spot, and finding room on the bench will prove difficult. Expect to see the slogans fade on players’ attire and their social media pages quiet down once they face stronger competition for their job.
Biological sex is either relevant to women’s professional basketball or it isn’t. The league’s decision moving forward will determine whether the WNBA endures or if it accidentally turns itself into the LGBTQNBA.
***
Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast &#8220;We The People.&#8221; Follow him on Instagram and X @GatesGarciaFL.

WNBA: JUL 15 Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun

What Is A Woman? The WNBA Needs A Man To Help Define League Eligibility

Celeste Keaton

DW Opinion

Royce White

Enes Kanter Freedom suggested on Tuesday that he ought to put on a wig, change his name to &#8220;Enisha,&#8221; and try out for the WNBA in order to force the league&#8217;s hand when it came to the acceptance of trans-identifying athletes.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-nba-player-enes-kanter-freedom-to-run-for-political-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedom</a> spoke with &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; anchors Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino about the issue, suggesting that people might finally wake up and be outraged when they saw a biological male not only taking a team spot from a biological female but <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/riley-gaines-blows-up-claims-she-used-lia-thomas-tie-to-boost-media-career" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dominating</a> in professional <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mediocre-lift-by-a-mediocre-male-man-claiming-womanhood-slammed-after-breaking-womens-powerlifting-record" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&#8217;s sports</a>.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Enes Kanter Freedom floats idea of throwing on a wig, renaming himself &quot;Eneshia,&quot; and claiming he&#39;s a woman to force the WNBA to sign him to make an anti-trans athlete statement.
&quot;Maybe I should do it and it will show my point, actually. I will average 60 points.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IODvvEgoVy">pic.twitter.com/IODvvEgoVy</a>
&mdash; Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) <a href="https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1691467132192555008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Would that be fair?&#8221; Freedom asked. &#8220;I am seven foot, two hundred and seventy pounds, and if I decided to identify myself as a woman and decided to play WNBA, put on a wig and I change my name to — just say Enisha — would that be fair to all the women, you know, who were chasing their dreams since they were a little kid?&#8221;
&#8220;Where are all the women&#8217;s rights activists?&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Where are all the feminists? &#8230; It&#8217;s just very interesting why this should even be a debate.&#8221;
Freedom doubled down on his comments with an X post featuring a photo of himself, clearly photoshopped, wearing a wig and a smile.
&#8220;I&#8217;m identifying myself as a woman! Lol,&#8221; he posted. &#8220;From now on y&#8217;all can call me ENISHA Freedom. I&#8217;m 7 foot and 270 pounds biological male who wants to compete in women sports. Hey, @WNBA, are you hiring?&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1691837172997000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3L5AES424lnmUopfduGAIe">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1691480511082827776
Freedom started the conversation with a post from his X account on Friday, where he made a similar suggestion.
https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1690035714165968896
&#8220;Men don’t belong in women’s spaces. Restrooms &#8211; Locker Rooms or Sports. Since I’m blackballed from the @NBA, should I put on a wig, identify as a woman and start dominating the @WNBA?&#8221; he posted. &#8220;Is that when the outrage will begin? Is that fair to all the women who spent their whole life chasing their goals? Where are all the Women Rights Activists and Feminists?!&#8221;

The Algemeiner 50th Anniversary J100 Gala

‘Y’all Can Call Me Enisha’: Enes Kanter Freedom Threatens To Don A Wig And Join The WNBA

Enes Kanter Freedom Threatens To Don A Wig And Join The WNBA

U.S.

Former NBA player and anti-CCP activist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/enes-kanter-freedom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enes Kanter Freedom</a> said during an interview Thursday that he plans to run for Congress one day.
Kanter Freedom told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that his passion is advocating for the &#8220;millions of people in concentration camps&#8221; in communist China who are &#8220;getting tortured and raped every day.&#8221;
When asked by Bartiromo if he had &#8220;any interest in running for public office,&#8221; Kanter Freedom responded, &#8220;I actually do. I actually do, yes.&#8221;
&#8220;I would actually when the time is right,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And shout out to, you know, whoever is out there listening. Yes, of course I would love to.&#8221;
When asked if he was in the process of making plans to run for office, Kanter Freedom responded, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;
When asked if he was starting to raise money, he responded, &#8220;Not yet. I haven&#8217;t started yet. But I started to have conversations with some of my friends and members of Congress.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Enes Kanter Freedom considers run for public office: &#039;When the time is right&#039;" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_sEKs98BdjM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>MARIA BARTIROMO, FBN ANCHOR: Well, that was U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price yesterday on the growing relationship and challenges between China and Russia for the United States. The president announced nearly $500 million in additional aid for Ukraine during his surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday.
Joining us right now to weigh in on the China threat is former NBA star, activist, Enes Kanter Freedom.
And, Enes, it&#8217;s great to have you.
ENES KANTER FREEDOM, FORMER NBA STAR: Thank you for having me. I appreciate that.
BARTIROMO: Thank you so much for being here.
You&#8217;ve been so incredibly courageous in calling out what you see as the China threat. Where do you see that today? What&#8217;s your biggest concern when it comes to China? And why did you put your whole career on the line to make sure to educate the world about it?
FREEDOM: Because, unfortunately, none of my colleagues was willing to go out there and speak the truth, you know, because while we are talking right now, there is a genocide happening. There are millions of people in concentration camps getting tortured and raped every day.
And whenever I had a conversation with one of my teammates and I was like, listen, just join me, we&#8217;ll create this big movement and we’ll talk about the human rights violations over there. Not anything political, but human rights violations. They said, we have shoe deals, we have endorsement deals, and we have jersey sales.
BARTIROMO: Unbelievable.
FREEDOM: I asked them one simple question. I was like, put yourself in their shoes. If your mother, if your sister, or if your daughter was in those concentration camps getting tortured and raped every day, would you still pick money and business over your morals, values, and principles? They’d usually turn around and leave the room.
BARTIROMO: You are a great man. I&#8217;ll tell you, Enes, that took such courage.
What I&#8217;m worried about, Mike Baker, is the fact that it’s not just the concentration camps and these women and girls getting raped, it’s also the way China behaves on the global stage to everybody else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
BARTIROMO: Look what they&#8217;re doing for America with the surveillance balloon, COVID-19 coverup. And look what just happened, Enes, the NBA announces a partnership with Chinese fin tech giant, Ant Group.
FREEDOM: I did hear that.
BARTIROMO: I should point out that the founder of Ant Group was disappeared by the CCP a year ago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
BARTIROMO: The NBA wants to work on producing video content with Ant Group making digital collectibles, Enes.
FREEDOM: I mean, it&#8217;s not a secret that NBA is pretty much China&#8217;s lap dog right now and they’re going to do whatever they can to, you know, strengthen their relationship with the &#8212; China and China&#8217;s governments. And they are going to talk about all the social justice problems that are happening in America because they know that it&#8217;s not going to hit their pocket. But as soon as the things that they — they talk about is going to affect their money and business or if anyone talks about it, they&#8217;re going to try to do everything they can to silence them. And it is unacceptable.
MIKE BAKER (ph): You&#8217;re absolutely right when you — I mean, you point out the treatment of the Uyghurs.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: You talk about the crushing of the last vestiges of democracy in Hong Kong.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: You talk about the constant economic espionage, the theft of intellectual property that goes on, the increasing aggression in the South Pacific. All these various elements that they&#8217;re engaged in.
But, you know, the NBA essentially acts just like every other major U.S. corporation. They&#8217;re all willing to turn and look the other way because everyone&#8217;s chasing that dollar in China.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: That — that massive market.
FREEDOM: You know, I was talking to John (ph), the more I research, the more I realize it&#8217;s not only NBA. You see Hollywood. You see big (INAUDIBLE).
BARTIROMO: Oh, yes.
FREEDOM: You see Wall Street. You see farmland (ph). So it’s just getting worse and worse.
BARTIROMO: Academia.
FREEDOM: And academia, there you go. It’s just getting worse and worse every day.
Go ahead.
JOHN LEVINE (ph): Well, the strategy is co-option (ph).
FREEDOM: Yes.
LEVINE: I mean, and China doesn&#8217;t just do this in the United States. They also do it around the world in countries they operate in. They target, you know, elite figures in academia, in politics, in science, the arts, sports.
FREEDOM: Yes. Yes.
LEVINE: You know, we’ve all — obviously the NBA as you’ve — as you’ve noted, is completely in their pocket. But it’s not just them.
FREEDOM: Yes.
LEVINE: You also see Hollywood, which is, you know, completely, you know, bowing to the whims of the Chinese Communist Party and the content they’re producing.
BARTIROMO: And corporate America.
LEVINE: And perhaps even our own government —
BARTIROMO: Yes.
LEVINE: With Hunter Biden and — and why was Joe Biden&#8217;s response to the Chinese balloon so tepid and so — and so mealymouthed? And then you — you see Hunter’s business deals operating in the background there. We don’t really know, so.
BAKER: Good use of the word tepid.
LEVINE: Thank you.
BAKER: Enes, I&#8217;ve got one question.
FREEDOM: Of course.
BAKER: And I apologize for asking this. Has there been a moment since you&#8217;ve been engaged in essentially this effort to raise awareness, has there been a moment where you’ve stepped back and you thought, you know, maybe I shouldn&#8217;t have done this, maybe I should have focused on my career?
FREEDOM: You know, a lot of people actually ask me this question. You know, you lost millions of dollars. You lost your career and stuff. But people need to understand, this is bigger than myself. This is bigger than NBA. This is bigger than basketball.
Whenever I sit down and have a conversation with this (INAUDIBLE), Hong Kongers, Taiwanese people, Uyghurs and Mongolians and (INAUDIBLE), and if I — whenever I hear what they’re going through, I was like, you know what, this is just bigger than basketball, man.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
FREEDOM: I cannot just stay silent.
BARTIROMO: And that&#8217;s why you posted a tweet taking a jab at LeBron, OK.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BARTIROMO: So you&#8217;re — you’re tweeting and LeBron James over his new $1 billion partnership with Nike.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BARTIROMO: He — you know, Nike hasn&#8217;t said anything about the Uyghur situation. Tell me about this billion-dollar deal and what you put on this — on this tweet. Zero morals, zero values, zero principles, zero empathy, one bow down to China, congratulations King James.
FREEDOM: So, I — I put this tweet out there when he become the — you know, the most scoring —
BAKER: Scoring champion.
FREEDOM: Yes, scoring champion.
But I want to talk about Nike first because when you look at Nike, in America they stand with Black Lives Matter, no Asian hates, LGBTQ community, Latino community. But when it comes to China, I mean everybody knows about the slave labors and sweat shops, you know.
BAKER: Yes.
FREEDOM: And LeBron just became a billionaire, I believe, like a couple months ago. And what else do you want? Go out there and talk about what’s &#8212; he has three kids. And think about your &#8212; put your kids in their shoes, you know? They&#8217;re making this &#8212; there&#8217;s so much oppression, there’s so much blood and sweat behind those shoes that you&#8217;ve been wearing every time you go out there and play basketball.
BARTIROMO: Yes, what a great point.
MARK TEPPER, CEO, STRATEGIC WEALTH PARTNERS: Yes, it&#8217;s a fantastic point. And I&#8217;m wondering, you know, LeBron holds himself out as an activist himself.
FREEDOM: Oh, geez.
TEPPER: You know, he does his &#8212; his podcasts and things like that.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: Right.
TEPPER: And he acts like he is an activist. And he&#8217;s probably, you know, he&#8217;s veering outside of his lane. But how can you hold yourself out there as an activist when you are turning a blind eye to the genocide and the slavery in China? Why is it OK —
BARTIROMO: Is it all BS?
TEPPER: For slavery in China to be — to be a thing?
FREEDOM: Well, because, the things that he talks about in America is not going to affect his money or business.
TEPPER: Yes.
FREEDOM: You know, it’s not going to affect his jersey sales or shoe sales, whatever.
And I was actually having a conversation with one of the — one of his teammates, and he said, whatever he&#8217;s doing, he does not care about, he just wants to do his own PR, you know?
TEPPER: I believe that. I believe that.
BARTIROMO: Enes, do you have any interest in running for office, public office?
FREEDOM: I actually do. I actually do, yes.
BARTIROMO: Nice. Nice.
FREEDOM: That will be very interesting because, I mean —
BARTIROMO: What would you like to do? You&#8217;d like to — like to be a member of Congress?
FREEDOM: I would actually when the time is right. And shout out to, you know, whoever is out there listening. Yes, of course I would love to.
BAKER: How would you feel about taking on the job of secretary of transportation?
FREEDOM: You actually — interesting. I like that. I saw the video yesterday.
BARTIROMO: No, no, but, look, hold on, are you &#8212; are you right now making plans to run for public office?
FREEDOM: Yes. Yes, I do. Yes.
BARTIROMO: Are you raising money?
FREEDOM: Not yet. I haven&#8217;t started yet. But I started to have conversations with some my friends and members of Congress.
BARTIROMO: Terrific.
Enes, thanks very much for breaking the news on this program.
BAKER: A principled man.
FREEDOM: Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it.
BARTIROMO: Great to see you, sirs. Enes Kanter Freedom, you are a superstar, so courageous.
FREEDOM: Thank you. Thank you for having me.</blockquote>

Portland Trail Blazers v Boston Celtics

Ex-NBA Player Enes Kanter Freedom To Run For Political Office

Congress

After LeBron James broke the record for all-time scoring in the NBA on Tuesday night, former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom, who has blasted James for his political stances before, launched a blistering attack on James on social media.
James scored 38 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder; raising his career total to 38,390, surpassing the previous total of 38,387 held by six-time MVP and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“38,388 Points 0 Morals 0 Values 0 Principles 0 Empathy 1 Bow Down to #China,” Kanter Freedom — who changed his last name to Freedom when he gained U.S. citizenship in 2021 — tweeted on Wednesday morning. “Congratulations to @KingJames.”
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38,388 Points 0 Morals 0 Values 0 Principles 0 Empathy 1 Bow Down to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a>
Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a>
&mdash; Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1623185037737730049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“People get mad when I speak the truth because I&#8217;m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth,” Kanter Freedom added. “I don’t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money. You can NOT buy me #CCP!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
People get mad when I speak the truth because I’m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth. I don’t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money.
You can NOT buy me <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CCP</a>!
Don’t expect me to respect you or your game when your shoes are literally made by SLAVE KIDS
&mdash; Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1623339669961207810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kanter Freedom, who originally hailed from Turkey, referred to James’ reticence to criticize China, which has been widely criticized for its brutal treatment of the Uyghur Muslims.
In 2019, then-Houston Rockers general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for protesters in Hong Kong, sharing a photo that read, “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.”
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) suspended NBA broadcasts for over two years.
James <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27847951/daryl-morey-was-misinformed-sending-tweet-china-hong-kong">chimed in</a> after Morey’s actions, “Yes, we do have freedom of speech. But at times, there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you&#8217;re not thinking about others, when you only think about yourself. I don&#8217;t want to get into a word or sentence feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn&#8217;t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke.”
“So many people could have been harmed, not only financially but physically, emotionally, spiritually,” James continued. “So just be careful what we tweet and what we say and what we do, even though yes, we do have freedom of speech  but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that.”
“I believe he was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation, and if he was, then so be it. I have no idea, but that’ s just my belief. Because when you say things or do things, if you are doing it and you know the people that can be affected by it and the families and individuals and everyone that can be affected by it, sometimes things can be changed as well. And also sometimes social media is not always the proper way to go about things as well, but that&#8217;s just my belief,” he concluded.
Freedom targeted James in October 2021 over his ties to China.
“Nike likes to say ‘Just Do It.’ Well, what are you doing about the slave labor that makes your shoes? That slave labor that makes you rich,” Kanter said in a video. “To the owner of Nike — Phil Knight — I have a message for you. How about I book plane tickets for us, let’s fly to China together. We can try to visit these slave labor camps and you can see with your own eyes. LeBron James and Michael Jordan, you guys are welcome to come too. Nike must be a participant in this. Stop the hypocrisy. Stop the modern-day slavery now.”
In November 2021, Kanter Freedom slammed James, tweeting, “Money over Morals for the ‘King’ Crown. Sad &amp; disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice. They really do ‘shut up &amp; dribble’ when Big Boss Flag of [China] says so. Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Money over Morals for the “King” 👑 
Sad &amp; disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice
They really do “shut up &amp; dribble” when Big Boss 🇨🇳 says so
Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research? <a href="https://t.co/YUA8rGYeoZ">pic.twitter.com/YUA8rGYeoZ</a>
&mdash; Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1461380967197814785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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At the end of November 2021, Kanter Freedom <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32755256/celtics-enes-kanter-freedom-says-welcome-sit-lebron-james-human-rights-abuses-china-here-educate-him">stated</a>, “I don&#8217;t know if he&#8217;s educated enough, but I&#8217;m here to educate him and I&#8217;m here to help him, because it&#8217;s not about money. It&#8217;s about morals, principles and values. It&#8217;s about what you stand for. There are way bigger things than money. If LeBron stopped making money now, his grandkids and grandkids and grandkids can have the best life ever.”
Related: <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-rips-lebron-james-will-shut-up-and-dribble-when-big-boss-china-says-so/">Enes Kanter Rips LeBron James: Will ‘Shut Up And Dribble’ When ‘Big Boss’ China Says So</a>

Cleveland Cavaliers v New York Knicks

‘38,388 Points, 0 Morals, 0 Values … 1 Bow Down To China’: Kanter Freedom Bashes LeBron After He Breaks Record

Kanter Freedom Bashes LeBron After He Breaks Record

China

LeBron James

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