Support for Enes Kanter Freedom Grows After Ejection

Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Ryan has expressed his thoughts following the ejection of Enes Kanter Freedom from Wintrust Arena on Sunday night. Freedom was removed after standing up for female athletes, and Ryan took to Instagram to voice his discontent with the WNBA’s handling of the situation, especially regarding its stance on transgender issues.

Ryan doesn’t understand why Freedom faced such backlash. He commented, “Just insane times we are living in.” He further criticized the WNBA’s inability to clearly define women’s sports amidst ongoing debates around gender identity, describing the whole situation as “unreal and sad.” He hopes that Freedom’s actions will prompt the league to reconsider its leadership and protect the future of women in sports.

This support came after Freedom’s ejection during the third quarter, which followed a tense exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. Freedom had been on the sidelines supporting another player, Sophie Cunningham, who has been vocal about protecting women’s sports.

Ryan also took his opinions to X (formerly Twitter), saying, “This is an ’80-20′ topic,” indicating that a significant majority of the public agrees on the distinction between biological women and men in sports. He emphasized that this viewpoint is not about transphobia, but rather about maintaining fairness in women’s sports—a stance he feels should be clear and unambiguous.

He noted that the WNBA has a prime opportunity to advocate for women and uphold the integrity of the league, adding that Freedom has no intention of playing in the WNBA and is merely challenging the league to take a stand.

Later, Freedom recounted the events that led to his confrontation with Cloud. He explained that the exchange escalated after he celebrated a play made by Cunningham, which prompted Cloud to react aggressively in a manner he found shocking, especially given the presence of younger fans in the audience.

Despite the incident, those involved in the game attempted to minimize its significance. Indiana Fever players and coaches dismissed the altercation as a minor incident, but Freedom insists the WNBA can no longer ignore the underlying issues presented by this altercation.

As the WNBA faces criticism from public figures like Ryan, their strategy to downplay the fallout appears increasingly ineffective. Freedom posited that the league is at a crucial juncture in defining its identity and resolving its internal conflicts regarding gender.