Royce White, a former NBA player, commented on the removal of Enes Kanter Freedom from a WNBA game after a confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. Both White and Freedom have declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft to challenge the league’s eligibility policies.

White spoke on ‘Don’t @ Me w/ Dan Dakich’ about the incident that occurred during the Indiana Fever’s win over the Sky. In the third quarter, Cloud engaged with Freedom, who was seated courtside. When Freedom stepped toward the floor, security intervened, removing him from the arena.

“I just know how the business works and how the PR works,” White said. “They’re going to say he instigated a conflict with a player, and there is an immutable line between the spectators and the players.”

White predicted the WNBA will respond by possibly suspending or banning Freedom from events, citing previous examples of controversial spectator-player interactions.

Following his ejection, Freedom shared his perspective with Jackson Thompson of Fox News Digital. He explained that his celebratory gesture after a three-pointer by Sophie Cunningham led to Cloud’s angry response. He stated, “I’m just here to protect women and support her.”

Freedom described Cloud’s language as harsh, raising concerns about the impact on nearby young fans.

Freedom and White’s 2027 WNBA Draft declarations result from a desire to challenge the WNBA’s eligibility criteria, calling for clarity on definitions and standards for transgender athletes. The league’s current collective bargaining agreement states eligibility for “women” without further specification.

Mark Harris covers sports-related developments for OutKick.