Stephen A. Smith might agree with the stance that trans athletes should not play in the WNBA, but even he can’t defend Enes Kanter’s recent actions.
The debate over trans athletes in the WNBA continues spiralling every day, with former NBA player Enes Kanter specifically using the situation to declare for the WNBA Draft to force changes to the WNBA CBA.
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Kanter escalated the situation by attending the Sky vs. Fever game on Sunday as a courtside fan who was later removed from the arena after an incident with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.
Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think WNBA players deserved what Enes Kanter did
Smith took to his personal show to discuss Kanter’s behaviour, criticising the 33-year-old for agitating the on-court players when they are just trying to do their jobs.
“What Enes Kanter did, although he had every right to do it… I think Enes Kanter was very wrong. It was a classless thing for him to do, because the ladies who are playing have nothing to do with this, and they don’t deserve to be agitated.”
Smith is against the WNBA’s vague rules on gender eligibility in the current CBA, but doesn’t agree with Kanter’s way of forcing the issue politically and then bringing that politics as a fan who is courtside.
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The Sky have since banned Kanter from attending their games in the future, although a WNBA-wide ban is not in effect for the center, who also hopes to enter the WNBA Draft as long as the current CBA is vaguely-worded.
Natasha Cloud getting into it with Enes Kanter likely sealed his fate
Sky veteran Natasha Cloud had words for Kanter while he was courtside after making a tough layup, with Kanter’s response to that being standing up with his arms wide open, which led to his removal from the game.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Kanter has since claimed that Cloud made remarks about him wanting to sleep with Sophie Cunningham, which has not been confirmed by anybody on the court for that moment.
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Kanter was allowed to attend the game until that incident in the third quarter as there were no real grounds to eject him, but getting into it with a player definitely gave the Sky the reasoning they needed to remove him for that game and now, ban him for the future.
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