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League: WNBASport: BasketballCountry: United StatesCategory: Scores & Results

Enes Kanter Freedom sues Chicago Sky after ejection from Wintrust Arena

15 sources • 3 min read • Latest: Sep 6, 2026, 4:46 AM

Last updated Sep 6, 2026

Enes Kanter Freedom sues Chicago Sky after ejection from Wintrust Arena
Summary

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom filed a lawsuit against the WNBA’s Chicago Sky on Thursday, alleging his First Amendment rights were violated when he was ejected from a game at Wintrust Arena. The incident occurred on August 23 during a contest between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever. Following an on-court confrontation with guard Natasha Cloud, Kanter was escorted from the building and subsequently issued an indefinite ban from the venue. Kanter’s legal action contends the stadium is a public project and that his removal stemmed from a shirt he wore criticizing the league’s gender policies. The WNBA currently maintains eligibility rules that restrict participation to women, though the league has faced internal and external pressure regarding its inclusion standards. Representatives for the Chicago Sky have not provided comment on the ongoing litigation.

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Status Watch
  • •Enes Kanter Freedom filed suit against the Chicago Sky for alleged First Amendment violations.
  • •The legal action follows an August 23 incident involving Natasha Cloud at Wintrust Arena.
  • •Kanter was removed from his courtside seat and banned indefinitely from the arena.
  • •The lawsuit challenges WNBA gender policies while asserting the stadium operates as a public project.
Latest Updates
  • 4:46 AMYahoo Sports — Chicago Sky owner shares statement addressing Enes Kanter’s ‘frivolous’ lawsuit
  • 10:20 AMYahoo Sports — Chicago Sky owner’s ruthless response to Enes Kanter’s lawsuit is going viral
  • 12:31 AMYahoo Sports — Chicago Sky calls Enes Kanter Freedom’s lawsuit ‘meritless and frivolous’
  • 12:02 AMYahoo Sports — Chicago Sky clap back at ‘meritless’ Enes Kanter Freedom lawsuit
  • 10:28 PMYahoo Sports — Sky owner Michael Alter calls Enes Kanter Freedom lawsuit 'meritless and frivolous'
  • 10:03 PMCBS Sports — Chicago Sky owner responds to Enes Kanter Freedom's free speech lawsuit: 'Meritless and frivolous'
  • 8:15 PMYahoo Sports — Enes Kanter Freedom files lawsuit against Chicago Sky in response to ban
  • 6:42 PMYahoo Sports — Former NBA Player Enes Kanter Freedom Files Lawsuit Against Chicago Sky After Ejection From WNBA Game
What they're saying
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Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter responded Friday to a lawsuit filed a day earlier by former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, a vocal opponent of transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. “We received word that the entity owning the Chicago Sky is being sued by Mr. Enes Kanter Freedom for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights. This lawsuit is meritless and frivolous,” Alter said in a statement. Freedom’s lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S District Court for the Northern Dist

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Enes Kanter Freedom has taken his ejection from a Chicago Sky game to federal court, as he said after the incident. Naming Chicago Women’s Basketball Operations LLC, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), and the City of Chicago as defendants, the former NBA center filed a 15-page complaint Thursday in the U.S. District Court [...]

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Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter has shared a statement after former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom launched a lawsuit against the WNBA franchise. Kanter attended the August 23 game between the Sky and the Indiana Fever, getting ejected in the third quarter after a courtside interaction with Natasha Cloud.

Related Teams & Leagues
Chicago SkyIndiana FeverBoston CelticsWNBABasketball

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