Chicago Sky Owner Defends Ejection of Enes Kanter Freedom

<p>Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter defended his decision to bar Enes Kanter Freedom from future WNBA games at Wintrust Arena, stating that the former NBA player was no more entitled to a warning than someone who would "shoot a gun at someone." Alter explained that Freedom had been identified as a threat when he approached the court with his hands raised during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, responding to comments from Sky guard Natasha Cloud.</p><p>In an interview with OutKick, Alter indicated that Freedom was not given a warning prior to his ejection due to the seriousness of the perceived threat. He stated, "He wasn’t given a warning because certain threats don’t get warnings. He was given a lot of 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."</p><p>Freedom responded to Alter's comparison, saying, "I mean, he needs to check himself." The former NBA player, who has declared for the 2027 WNBA draft, mentioned that he may pursue legal action against the team and its owner. He clarified, "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. Me and my legal team will definitely be taking actions against Chicago Sky and Michael Alter." Freedom stated that he attended the game to support Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham, a friend who has faced harassment for her views on women's athletics.</p>