A suite instead of a seat, and a refusal at the gate
Enes Kanter Freedom, who played in the NBA for parts of a decade, said he was blocked from entering Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in Atlanta on Wednesday night after he turned down a private suite. In a video he posted on X before tipoff, Freedom said arena security was keeping him from seats he had already paid for, and he anticipated being escorted out of the building.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S6]
Later, at halftime, Freedom shared footage of himself at the entrance being told that entry required agreeing to use the suite. He answered that he intended to occupy the seats he had bought. An Atlanta police officer then informed him he could leave for the streets of the city, describing the area outside as another private establishment, and said Freedom was not permitted to remain where he was.[S1][S5][S7][S8]
State Farm Arena said before the game that Freedom had reached out to federal, state and local authorities, the WNBA, the Atlanta Dream and arena officials to raise worries about his own safety at the Dream's matchup with the Golden State Valkyries. The venue said protecting guests and staff comes first, and that after talks with the league, Dream ownership, arena leadership and security personnel it had instructed Freedom to view the game from a private luxury suite.[S1]
According to the arena, the suite was meant to answer his security concerns and to give him and other attendees a safe, positive experience, with extra security assigned to it as his designated viewing spot. The statement added that state police had also posted an officer with Freedom at his request.[S1]
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How the dispute began
Freedom has not been to a WNBA game since late August, when he was ejected after a heated exchange with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud during a game against the visiting Indiana Fever. He said his wish to attend Game 3 of the Finals followed a comment by Valkyries player Gabby Williams that she would back a transgender athlete playing in the league.[S1]
In a post on Monday, Freedom referenced Williams's interview, saying her remarks had given him hope and motivation to come out as a woman and declare for the WNBA draft, and expressing eagerness to watch the player he called his favorite. Freedom and former NBA player Royce White have both said they identify as women and have entered their names for the WNBA draft.[S1]
A letter that Freedom shared indicated that league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had ruled the two ineligible. On Wednesday, Freedom also circulated Engelbert's letter answering questions from U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, an Indiana Republican, about the WNBA's eligibility rules; in it the commissioner stated that only women may play in the league and described the two men named in the congressman's letter as men. Freedom responded on social media by questioning how the league could be unsure what a woman is while being confident about what a man is.[S1]
The game itself
On the court, Angel Reese scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Dream beat the Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday, moving ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven Finals. Freedom, 34, spent time in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics between the 2011-12 and 2021-22 seasons.[S1]
