Former NBA player ejected after verbal altercation with Sky's Natasha Cloud

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected after a verbal altercation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud during the third quarter of Chicago's loss Sunday to the visiting Indiana Fever.

Kanter Freedom, sitting courtside, stood up and took a few steps toward the court with his arms outstretched after Cloud began pointing and yelling at him at the start of an Indiana timeout.

A game official and security personnel got between them, and her teammates pulled Cloud away. The official gestured for Kanter Freedom to be ejected, and he was escorted from his seat by team and arena security.

Kanter Freedom, 34, wore a black T-shirt that read: "WOMAN noun. Adult human female."

Cloud, 34, spoke with team and league security after the Sky's 113-90 loss but did not address the media. She did post a statement on social media, per CBS Sports.

"To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You're loved. You're seen. You're perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me," Cloud wrote.

Kanter Freedom, who had a conversation with police officers before exiting Wintrust Arena, later wrote on his X account, "I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, America."

Sky coach Tyler Marsh said at his postgame press conference that Cloud did not want to be a distraction.

"I told her she wasn't," Marsh said. "I told her we all embrace her as someone who protects our team and people who need to be protected. Tash is always gonna stand on that and we stand for Tash."

Marsh also had a message for spectators, apparently with Kanter Freedom in mind.

"There's so many good things about this league and so many good things about the play of these players, that if you come to a game, you should probably come to enjoy the basketball," Marsh said. "That seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that and have earned that. Being a former basketball player, you should probably understand and feel that, too."

Kanter Freedom, formerly known as Enes Kanter, played centre for 11 years in the NBA for five teams from 2011-12 to 2021-22 and averaged 11.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 21.5 minutes in 748 regular-season games (259 starts).