2027 WNBA Draft aspirant Enes Kanter revealed his thoughts on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Kanter was removed from the Fever vs. Chicago Sky game on Sunday after a verbal altercation with Sky veteran Natasha Cloud, and the incident dominated the headlines rather than the Fever’s 113-90 win.
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One of the primary reasons Kanter chose this game was because of the Fever and Sophie Cunningham’s presence, discussing the 30-year-old Fever guard in an interview after the game.
Enes Kanter calls Sophie Cunningham ‘a national treasure and American hero’
Kanter appeared on Fox News and revealed that he texted Cunningham after the game to help redirect her focus while hailing her as an American hero.
“I texted her after the game. I was like, ‘Please focus on your game because you are a national treasure, an American hero,’ and she should be protected at all costs. She isn’t just inspiring young girls in America, but all over the world. She’s an idol and a hero.”
Cunningham has yet to address any of Kanter’s recent actions publicly.
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Her stance against trans athletes in the WNBA being publicised in July led to increased media attention and politicisation of the league, which is now playing out in full effect on American news channels.
Kanter is hoping to become Cunningham’s opponent next season with his efforts to get into the 2027 WNBA Draft.
Enes Kanter claims Natasha Cloud told him Sophie Cunningham ‘won’t sleep with him’
Kanter also appeared on Fox to discuss the incident with Cloud that led to him being removed from the arena in the third quarter.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The 33-year-old former NBA player claimed that Cloud made an inappropriate remark about his intentions with Cunningham.
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“The next possession, she came back and started yelling at me, ‘She is not going to sleep with you.’ Sophie Cunningham is not gonna sleep with me. I’m not trying to sleep with Sophie Cunningham; I want to make it very clear. Definitely not.”
It seems Kanter’s stance on ‘protecting women’ will continue until the WNBA explicitly bans trans athletes.
Despite being deemed ineligible by the league for the draft, Kanter is expected to press the issue of his eligibility legally to try and compete against the likes of Cloud and Cunningham, all to prove a point.
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