Enes Kanter Freedom is taking legal action against the Chicago Sky following his ejection from Wintrust Arena following an altercation with guard Natasha Cloud during a game against the Indiana Fever.
Freedom filed his federal complaint in U.S. District Court, where he said he was “peacefully exercising my First Amendment rights” by sitting near the baseline and wearing a T-shirt that read, “WOMAN noun, adult human female.” Freedom was banned indefinitely from Wintrust Arena by the Sky, and he said he may be pursuing legal action because of it.
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Freedom’s lawsuit names Chicago Women’s Basketball Operations, LLC, which operates the Sky, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), which financed and built Wintrust Arena as a public project, and the City of Chicago as defendants, claiming they “combined and conspired, and acted jointly to execute their conspiracy, to discriminate against Plaintiff based on Plaintiff’s verbal and demonstrable expression of viewpoint and gender identity when they wrongfully ejected Plaintiff from a recent WNBA game.”
“Defendants compounded and exacerbated Plaintiff’s injuries when they subsequently banned Plaintiff indefinitely from attendance,” the lawsuit obtained by OutKick read.
The lawsuit adds that Freedom “believes deeply and advocates forcefully that the integrity of women-only sports must be protected, and he has been explicit in many public appearances on this point.”
The suit also reiterates a point Freedom has made on numerous occasions, that he self-identifies as a player who is eligible to participate in the WNBA “because such declaration is all that is required by WNBA’s rules.” Freedom has received backlash for his stance, which was also mentioned in the lawsuit.
“Plaintiff has been the target of a torrent of hateful attacks and discriminatory actions based on Plaintiff’s viewpoint and gender identity,” the lawsuit read.
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The lawsuit proceeds to break down the events on Aug. 23 in the eyes of Freedom, which began with his manager sending a “courteous text message” to Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca, his old personal trainer, to inform him the former NBA center would be attending the game. Pagliocca allegedly responded, “Appreciate the text,” but Sky owner Michael Alter allegedly alerted Wintrust Arena Security of Freedom’s expected attendance.
It continues by saying Freedom was harassed by Sky fans, many of whom used vulgar language including, “Get your b—- a—out of Chicago, f— you b—-, b—- a– n—–!,” among others.
“None of these fans were warned or ejected, despite profanity and racial slurs being express violations of the WNBA Fan Code of Conduct,” the lawsuit read.
During the third quarter of the game, Freedom stood and raised his arms in celebration of a three-pointer made by Sophie Cunningham, the Fever star who has also received vitriol for her stance on biological men participating in women’s sports. A few possessions later, Cloud made a shot, and following a timeout, she “initiated a vulgar, profanity-laced verbal tired directed at Plaintiff Freedom personally, and charged nearly half the length of the court toward where Plaintiff Freedom was sitting courtside,” the lawsuit read.
“Plaintiff Freedom believes that Cloud’s attack was motivated and triggered by the message on Plaintiff’s shirt and Plaintiff’s widely publicized viewpoint on protecting the integrity of women only sports,” the lawsuit added.
The lawsuit states that, while Freedom raised his arms “in confusion and disbelief,” Cloud continued to scream out profanities in his direction “in violation of WNBA rules.” Cloud was not ejected from the game, nor did the WNBA issue any disciplinary action. Alter also confirmed the Sky would not take action against Cloud.
The lawsuit adds that Alter “subsequently mischaracterized the interaction” between Freedom and Cloud, claiming the former was “chirping” at her before the altercation. It also mentioned an interview Alter had with OutKick, where he likened what Freedom did to shooting a gun at someone.
“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,” Alter told OutKick.
Freedom claimed that damages against him continue “as long as the unconstitutional ban” from Wintrust Arena stays in effect.
Freedom requested the court declare the defendants violated his First Amendment rights by ejecting him from Wintrust Arena and indefinitely barring him from re-entry as well as”an award of nominal and compensatory damages for Plaintiff’s losses incurred.”
“My T-shirt did what the whole [WNBA] apparently couldn’t: define a woman,” Kanter’s X post with his lawsuit read. “No threats. No violence. Just biology. And somehow, that required a security escort. You don’t have to agree with my speech but you don’t get to silence me for it. I will not be intimidated. I will not be silenced. I will continue to stand for women and defend free speech.”
The Sky and MPEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment by OutKick regarding Kanter’s lawsuit. The City of Chicago doesn’t comment on pending litigation, an official said.
