Former Lakers Player Defends Enes Kanter Freedom After WNBA Arena Ejection

Matt Ryan, a former Los Angeles Lakers forward, publicly supported Enes Kanter Freedom on social media following the activist’s ejection from Wintrust Arena during a WNBA game on Sunday. Ryan posted comments defending Freedom’s stance on protecting female athletes and criticized the league’s handling of gender-related policy issues. The ex-player questioned why Freedom faced backlash for advocating on behalf of women in sports.

Freedom was removed from the arena late in the third quarter after a confrontational exchange with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He had been seated courtside to support Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, a vocal advocate for women’s sports protections. According to Freedom’s account, the altercation began when Cloud responded negatively to his celebration of Cunningham’s three-pointer with inflammatory language.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Freedom detailed the incident, stating that Cloud used profanities in front of families and children in attendance. He expressed shock at what he characterized as an inappropriate response from a professional athlete. Freedom emphasized his intention was to support Cunningham, not to engage in a confrontation with opposing players.

Ryan reinforced Freedom’s position in a follow-up post on X, citing polling data suggesting 80 percent of Americans support basic definitions of biological sex in sports contexts. He argued that supporting women’s sports integrity does not constitute discrimination and called on WNBA leadership to act decisively on the issue. Meanwhile, league officials and Fever players have attempted to minimize the incident as routine courtside drama.