In a recent statement, Michael Alter, the owner of the Chicago Sky, has publicly dismissed the lawsuit filed by former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom, calling it "meritless and frivolous." The lawsuit stems from an incident during a WNBA game on August 23, where Freedom alleges that his First Amendment rights were violated after being ejected from the game against the Indiana Fever.
Freedom's legal action, which was formally submitted to the U.S. District Court in Illinois, seeks damages and aims to lift his ban from attending games at Wintrust Arena. The suit names several defendants, including Chicago Women’s Basketball Operations, LLC, which oversees the Sky, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the entity that owns the arena, and the city of Chicago.
According to Alter, Freedom's removal from the game was due to his behavior rather than his expression. In a statement released on Friday, Alter emphasized that "Freedom was removed for his conduct, not his speech," and expressed confidence that the truth would come out in court.
The incident occurred late in the third quarter of the game, when Freedom, who stands 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds, was confronted by Sky guard Natasha Cloud. Freedom was seated along the baseline wearing a shirt that stated, "WOMAN noun. adult human female." After Cloud scored, she approached Freedom, yelling and pointing, which prompted security to intervene as Freedom rose from his seat and stepped onto the court.
As he was escorted out, Freedom attempted to engage with the crowd, holding out his shirt and urging fans to react. He later had a brief discussion with police officers before exiting the arena. Freedom's lawsuit claims that he was discriminated against based on his viewpoint and gender identity when he was ejected and subsequently banned from games.
Alter announced shortly after the incident that Freedom would be barred from attending Sky games until he could demonstrate compliance with the team's rules without posing a potential threat. In his statement, Alter refuted Freedom's claims, noting that Freedom had worn the controversial shirt for several hours without issue prior to the confrontation. He reiterated that security acted only after Freedom violated the fan code of conduct by standing up and gesturing towards a player.
The WNBA has recently been at the center of discussions regarding the participation of transgender women in the league. Although the league's collective bargaining agreement restricts participation to women, it lacks explicit language regarding gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White have expressed intentions to enter the WNBA draft, identifying as women; however, sources indicate they are not eligible to participate.
Freedom has taken to social media to assert his stance, stating, "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 ongoing legal battle highlights the complex intersection of sports, free speech, and gender identity in contemporary society.
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