The Natasha Cloud-Enes Kanter altercation highlighted Sunday’s matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever. Amid the growing divide on social media, former ESPN host Linda Cohn went live on social media following the game. Hours later, she made a repost claiming that it was Cloud who had started the altercation and Freedom only responded.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Going LIVE last night after the game, I failed to make it 100 percent clear that it was Natasha Cloud who started this altercation and proceeded to fire profanity at him with kids nearby,” Cohn wrote on X, backing reported claims about the altercation’s origin.
The viral video on X showed Kanter sitting courtside and rocking “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” He sat a few rows behind the baseline. He stood up from his seat as Natasha Cloud yelled at him after scoring a bucket over the Fever. Kanter said that he had previously stood up and cheered for Sophie Cunningham after she hit a 3-pointer.
“@EnesFreedom struck a nerve and he paid the price by getting ejected for just standing up for WOMEN at a WNBA game,” Cohn added.
With the scoreline at 81-75 in Fever’s favor, and 1:22 left in the third quarter, Cloud started yelling at the ex-NBA player and walking towards him after scoring. Kanter also got up from his seat with his hands outstretched, while also saying something back to the charging Chicago Sky guard. As he also started walking toward Natasha Cloud, security stopped him and escorted him out of the arena.
While being escorted out of the arena, Kanter pumped his fist, gesturing ‘all-alk’ with his hand. Kanter kept arguing with security that he shouldn’t be escorted and also spoke to a few police officers before he exited the Wintrust Arena.
“I’m supporting women; that is the reason they’re kicking me out. This is unacceptable,” Freedom told the security while being escorted out of the arena, as per Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao.
“But this is no longer an isolated incident. Everywhere the Fever traveled, the controversy surrounding Sophie Cunningham’s comments seemed to follow,” Cohn noted in her previous video about the Fever star’s comments opposing trans athletes participating in women’s sports on July 21.
There have been massive gatherings outside arenas wherever the Fever play. Right before the Sky game, the Fever played the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Before the game, pro-trans and Cunningham’s supporters gathered outside the arena, marking perhaps the biggest gathering since the protest started.
Cunningham is still standing by her comments. However, the Fever as a team have refused to address any question outside of basketball. During the postgame interview on Sunday, reporters asked questions about Freedom, but the Indiana Fever refused to entertain any of it.
On the other hand, Sky coach Tyler Marsh slammed Kanter for disrupting the game rather than enjoying it. He also spoke in support of his player.
“I told her that we all embrace her as someone that protects our team and protects people that need to be protected,” Marsh told reporters. “So, Tash is always going to stand on that, and we stand for Tash.”
After the game, Natasha Cloud also sent a message, stating her support for the trans community, on Threads.
“To every trans kid/person, you are a part of MY community & tribe… You will always be protected by me.”
Meanwhile, the WNBA has yet to issue any statement following the incident.