RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesEXCLUSIVE: Chicago Sky principal owner Michael Alter addressed the team's decision to eject and ban Enes Kanter Freedom from Wintrust Arena in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. When asked why Freedom was not given a warning, Alter made the analogy that someone would not receive a warning for shooting a gun at someone before being punished.
Alter announced on Tuesday that Kanter was banned after his ejection from Sunday's game against the Fever , as the team determined that he was "a threat." Alter said Wednesday the determination that Freedom was a "threat" was a when he "took a step towards the court."
"That's when he became a potential threat," Alter said. "We had league security, we had arena security, we had Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky security, Chicago Police Department, all of them were there. All of them acted immediately. All of them, you know, it was the quickest decision I've ever seen in someone being ejected from a game."
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OutKick reached out to Chicago police for a request for comment.
Freedom has since argued he should have been given a warning before his ejection in a letter to the WNBA . The WNBA fan code does not state that fans are entitled to a warning before ejection. When asked why Freedom was not given a warning before his ejection, Alter said "He wasn’t given a warning because certain threats don’t get warnings.
"To use an extreme example, uh, when you, when you shoot a gun at someone, you don't get a warning, 'Don't do that again.' It, it's, you know, your action doesn't deserve a warning."
Alter acknowledged that he does not know if Freedom actually stepped on the court. Freedom has said he did not step on the court.
The WNBA Fan Code states that fans who attempt to enter the court will be immediately ejected. Footage shows Freedom stepping toward the court, before a security guard promptly comes over and stops him from going any further.
"The security were there to stop him ... The Indiana Fever guy was right there. He was right in front of him. The guy from the arena, Monterey, was right there. It took a second for Chicago's guys to go to get there, but they got there pretty damn fast," Alter said, later adding, "I can’t tell you what his intent was beyond his actions. I don't know what was in his head, OK. Neither do you. And if he tells you what's his intent based on the other things he's told you, you have to know he is completely unreliable."
Freedom has alleged that the confrontation began after he cheered for Fever guard Sophie Cunningham . According to Freedom, Cloud turned toward him and said, "She’s not going to sleep with you," before later cursing at him.
"Was she part of the confrontation? Yes, she was," Alter said. "They were going back and forth, so that is correct."
When asked whether the Sky had determined that Cloud violated any rules or planned to discipline her, Alter said, "There was not."
Alter said he had not spoken to either participant about that allegation.
"I’ve not talked to Natasha nor Mr. Freedom about it, but I have talked to several people who were sitting right there and did not have a stake in the matter," Alter said. "These are people who did not know each other. They didn’t come with each other. I spoke with them independently of each other, so they had no knowledge of what the other person told me."
Alter said those spectators told him that Freedom initiated the first verbal interaction by directing basketball-related trash talk at Cloud. He said security did not intervene at that point because the comments had not crossed the line.
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"What they all shared with me was that he initiated the first verbal contact with Cloud, with doing some what I characterize as basketball trash talking," Alter said. "That was the first initial contact between Cloud and Mr. Freedom. That’s what then spiraled into the back and forth between them."
Alter said the exchange included "her shouting things at him" and Freedom making "hand gestures and facial gestures" toward her.
However, Alter could not provide the exact words the spectators attributed to Freedom.
Alter also acknowledged that he did not have audio confirming the spectators’ accounts.
"I do not have any audio," he said.
But according to Alter, at least one nearby spectator offered a different perspective. A woman wearing Fever apparel who sat behind Freedom said she did not hear him say anything to Cloud before Cloud approached him, Alter said.
"She was sitting behind him, contrary to whoever did write about it, said she was sitting in the same row with him or near him," Alter said. "She wasn’t. She was actually sitting behind him and a few seats down. So I believe her that she didn’t hear him say anything."
Alter suggested that the woman couldn't hear it.
"It would be very hard for her to hear it given where she was sitting," Alter said. "Her comment is not inconsistent with what I was told by people who were actually sitting in direct proximity."
The witnesses have not been publicly identified, Alter could not provide Freedom’s alleged words and no audio has surfaced to verify either version.
Alter nevertheless characterized Freedom’s claim that he did not initiate the exchange as a lie.
"We now know that is a lie," Alter said.
Alter also repeatedly declined to discuss whether Cloud’s actions received or would receive a separate review.
When asked why the Sky had not disciplined Cloud if she approached Freedom before he stood and moved toward the court, Alter said her conduct did not affect Freedom’s responsibility for his own actions.
"Her role in this has nothing to do with our decision and how we handle Mr. Freedom," Alter said.
When pressed about whether Cloud was partially responsible for the overall confrontation, Alter said, "Fans have to be responsi...
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