Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from his courtside seats just 45 minutes before Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in Atlanta after NBA security intervened, citing safety concerns. Freedom had spent nearly $15,000 on the seats at State Farm Arena for the matchup between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream.
Shortly before the game began, Freedom received a phone call from NBA Chief Security Officer Leon Newsome and another league official informing him that he could no longer sit in his purchased seats and would be relocated to a private suite. Exclusive audio obtained from the incident captures Newsome explaining that the decision was based on concerns raised about Freedom’s personal safety and to protect the security of players, fans, and arena staff.
“Based off the concerns that Mr. Freedom raised about his personal safety … and to address the safety and security of players and the fans, the spectators, the WNBA and arena security — we’ve arranged a suite for him,” Newsome told Dr. Chris Leader, executive director of America First Studios & Productions and a friend of Freedom.
Newsome pointed to a prior incident earlier this year in Chicago, where Freedom was removed from a Chicago Sky arena after a player yelled at him over his advocacy for keeping biological men out of women’s sports and his support for Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham. Newsome claimed during the phone call that Freedom was “targeting players” and stated that returning to the courtside seats was “not an option.”
“I guess you guys have to escort us out,” Freedom told Newsome during the call before being escorted out of State Farm Arena by police officers. He was not issued a refund for the tickets.
Freedom and his associates contended that the league’s security justification was a pretext to prevent his attire from appearing on television broadcasts. Freedom was wearing a shirt bearing the phrase “what is a woman?,” which representatives argued the league wanted to keep away from arena cameras. Chad Mizelle of America First Studios & Productions questioned the league’s true motivations, asking whether the NBA was focused on genuine security or on managing optics.
While league officials cited the Chicago incident, Chicago’s arena ban did not formally apply to State Farm Arena in Atlanta or other WNBA venues. Freedom had announced his plans to attend the game in Atlanta days prior to the event.
The confrontation follows Freedom’s recent attempt to enter the WNBA. Earlier this year, Freedom and former NBA player Royce White declared their intentions to enter the draft, but the league informed them they did not qualify because they are men. The WNBA has not publicly detailed how it defines biological sex for eligibility purposes.
Freedom stated that he intends to continue his advocacy and pre-draft preparations. He maintained that his public stance is intended to protect competitive fairness and equal opportunities for female athletes rather than express animosity toward individuals.
