Chicago Sky Owner Responds to Enes Kanter Freedom's Lawsuit

Michael Alter, the owner of the Chicago Sky, has labeled a lawsuit from former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom as meritless and frivolous. Freedom claims his First Amendment rights were infringed upon when he was ejected from a WNBA game against the Indiana Fever on August 23.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Illinois, names several defendants including Chicago Women’s Basketball Operations, LLC, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, and the city of Chicago. Freedom is seeking damages and the lifting of his ban from attending games at Wintrust Arena.

Alter stated that Freedom was removed due to his conduct rather than his speech, asserting that Freedom's actions violated the fan code of conduct. The incident occurred when Freedom, who was wearing a shirt with a specific message, confronted Sky guard Natasha Cloud, leading to his removal by security. The WNBA has faced discussions regarding the participation of transgender women in the league, although no such players have competed in the WNBA to date.