Megan Rapinoe has addressed a recent incident on her podcast, “Why Are You Like This?” She discussed Enes Kanter Freedom’s ejection from a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever.
During the third quarter of the game, Chicago’s Natasha Cloud reacted to Freedom, who was seated near the basket at Wintrust Arena. This interaction led to Kanter Freedom being escorted out by security and Chicago police. Sky officials explained that Freedom was deemed a threat, resulting in his removal from the arena.
In an interview with OutKick, Freedom stated that Cloud allegedly made a remark aimed at Fever star Sophie Cunningham. Freedom clarified his intentions, saying he was there to support women in sports.
Rapinoe reacted to these statements with sarcasm, criticizing the notion of Freedom’s protection. She pointed out a perceived inconsistency among those suddenly showing interest in women’s sports as they gain popularity and success.
“Y’all are the same people who were, like, mocking the league,” she said. “Now they really care because they see its success.”
Rapinoe accused individuals like Freedom of being “bad-faith actors,” acknowledging the real-life impact of their actions.
The former USWNT star emphasized the ongoing struggles women athletes face and the importance of their united efforts to advocate for women’s sports.
“Let’s make one thing clear: we do not need men in the WNBA, or women’s sports in general, to make it successful,” Rapinoe stated.
Freedom has claimed his stance to be pro-women, not anti-trans. In a previous statement, he clarified, “I am not anti-trans, I’m not anti-LGBTQ, I’m just pro-woman.”