The WNBA's most talked-about courtside guest didn't make it to the final buzzer. Enes Kanter, the former NBA big man who has been making headlines with his controversial bid to enter the league, was tossed from Sunday night's Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky game after getting into a heated exchange with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.
The incident unfolded in front of a packed arena as Kanter, seated courtside, exchanged words with Cloud. Video quickly spread on social media showing Cloud yelling at Kanter, who appeared to respond in kind before security intervened and escorted him out of the building. The ejection capped a bizarre evening that had been building for days.
Kanter, who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and several other NBA teams, had declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft and spent the weekend promoting his appearance in Chicago. In an interview on Fox News Channel's "My View with Lara Trump" on Saturday, he warned the league about what was coming.
"I think I will be the best draft pick in WNBA history, literally," he said, before pivoting to his stated mission of exposing what he calls a loophole regarding transgender athletes in the WNBA. "There's other major sports that obviously closed that loophole," he argued. "They added 'biological female' or 'born female' in their collective bargaining. But when I look at them, the WNBA, they didn't have kind of, you know, reference to biological or anything like that."
Kanter also pointed to a "trans kids belong" shirt worn by Minnesota's coach as evidence that the league is welcoming, and he saw an opportunity. "If no one's against it and all the coaches are OK with it, think about how much money I can bring, think about all the endorsement deals."
The former NBA star was blunt about his intentions. "The WNBA has no idea what they're about to face," he said. "They're still trying to figure out what a woman is. So, let's see if they can figure that out. So, let's see what kind of rules that they're gonna come up with."
Sunday's game, which aired live on Peacock, was already drawing attention due to Kanter's presence, and the tension with Cloud added a new layer of drama. The Sky guard is known for her outspokenness and competitive fire, and she didn't back down from the confrontation.
The ejection is just the latest twist in Kanter's unusual WNBA campaign, which has sparked debate across the sports world. While some have dismissed his bid as a publicity stunt, others have taken his comments more seriously, raising questions about the league's policies and the broader cultural clashes playing out in women's sports.
For now, Kanter's night ended early, but his impact on the game's narrative is far from over. As the WNBA continues to navigate these controversies, fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see what happens next.
