Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post / MEGACharles Wenzelberg/New York Post / MEGA

The Chicago Sky are clapping back at former NBA player Enes Kanter‘s lawsuit. In a statement, the WNBA team’s owner, Michael Alter, dismissed the legal document as “meritless” and “frivolous,” adding that Kanter was removed because of his reported conduct, not his words.

Chicago Sky Owner Responds To Enes Kanter’s Lawsuit

“We received word that the entity owning the Chicago Sky is being sued by Mr. Enes Kanter Freedom for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights. This lawsuit is meritless and frivolous,” the statement from the Sky’s owner read.

The statement went on to say that Kanter’s claim that he was removed due to his speech “is false,” adding that Kanter wore a shirt some deemed problematic “for multiple hours without any contact with security.”

According to the Chicago Sky, “Security removed Freedom only after he violated fan code of conduct by rising from his seat, gesturing at a player, and stepping toward the court.”

The team’s statement continued, “[Kanter] was removed for his conduct, not his speech. We look forward to the truth prevailing in court.”

Enes Kanter Sued The Chicago Sky For Allegedly Violating His First Amendment

Kanter filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Sky, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, and the City of Chicago days ago, according to the New York Post, and alleged that all three conspired to have him booted from a recent game and violated his First Amendment rights.

In his lawsuit, Kanter cited the August 23 game, when the Sky faced the Indiana Fever. During the second half, Kanter was removed from the arena by Chicago Sky security after getting into a verbal altercation with a player.

Before his removal, Kanter had made headlines for condemning the WNBA for allegedly failing to take a stance on transgender athletes competing against biological women. At the game, the former Boston Celtics player wore a shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”

“Plaintiff Freedom believes that Cloud’s attack was motivated and triggered by the message on Plaintiff’s shirt and Plaintiff’s widely publicized viewpoint on protecting the integrity of women-only sports,” the lawsuit reads. “The Chicago Sky; MPEA, through Wintrust Arena Security; and the City of Chicago, by its Police Department, worked together to eject Plaintiff in retaliation for protected expression, and continue to work together to enforce the ongoing, unconstitutional ban of Plaintiff from Wintrust Arena, which is public property owned by MPEA.”

Enes Kanter Previously Called Out The Sky’s Owner After Removal

Shortly after his removal from Wintrust Arena, Kanter spoke with Fox News about the series of unfortunate events and appeared to suggest he was unfairly targeted.

“They threw me out of the game,” he said. “They could’ve given me a warning and said, ‘Hey, next time we’re gonna throw you out.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, sure.’ But I didn’t do anything. I will still say I didn’t do anything wrong.”

While Kanter acknowledged standing up and approaching the WNBA player, he said that he never actually stepped onto the court.

“If I step over the baseline, yes, they have every right to throw me out of the game,” he said. “But I know where the baseline was standing, so I did not even get close to the baseline. I literally just got up, take one step forward, which was not even close to the baseline. I literally simply opened my arms and said, ‘I’m here to protect women.'”

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Why Is Kanter Involved In WNBA Drama?

Kanter’s involvement with the WNBA started in the summer, when the NBA veteran claimed to be transgender to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft.

His public statement was in response to what he believes is the WNBA’s lack of transparency about who is eligible to play in the women’s league.

Kanter’s newfound interest in the WNBA also comes after his friend, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, began facing backlash after arbitrarily condemning transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Kanter Calls Cunningham An ‘American Hero’

Riley Gaines: “Have you had any communication with Sophie Cunningham in all this?”

Enes Kanter Freedom: “I did text her after the game, and she even asked me like, ‘What happened?’ I simply said I got up and open my arms in the air and said, ‘I’m here to protect my friends.’”… pic.twitter.com/k9GouRVv0n

Kanter doesn’t plan on jumping on the bandwagon, though, revealing in a new statement that he couldn’t be more proud of the Missouri alum.

“I think she’s inspiring not only the people in the WNBA, but the girls from all over the world,” he said. “I think she’s an idol now, and she’s an American hero. I’m just really happy that finally someone from the WNBA got up and said, ‘Enough is enough. We have to stand for American values.'”

The Chicago Sky Dismiss Enes Kanter’s ‘Meritless’ Lawsuit Following Arena Removal first appeared on The Blast