Dave Portnoy Calls Enes Kanter Freedom An ‘Absolute Clown’ After WNBA Courtside Clash
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy ripped Enes Kanter Freedom after the former NBA player’s courtside clash with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud on Sunday night.
Portnoy said that while he agrees with Freedom’s stance on keeping men out of women’s sports, he argued that Freedom is “making this issue about him.” Freedom and Cloud engaged in a viral confrontation late in the third quarter of the game between the Sky and the Fever, and Freedom was ejected from the arena.
“I don’t think boys should be allowed to play in girls sports. I also think Enes Kanter is an absolute clown for making this issue about him,” Portnoy wrote on X.
The famed sports commentator argued that Freedom’s action took the spotlight off of women playing in Sunday night’s game as Freedom’s fiery confrontation took attention away from Fever star Caitlin Clark’s dominant performance of 37 points and 10 assists.
“We should be talking about how Caitlin had another double double 37 and 10,” Portnoy added.
Some social media users, however, pointed out that very few people would have paid attention to the Fever’s game against the Sky if the clash between Freedom and Cloud hadn’t taken place.
“Except not even the WNBA wants to talk about Clark having a double double 37 and 10. That’s what led to all of this in the first place,” conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller wrote. “Portnoy isn’t wrong, but it’s the WNBA that caused all of this.”
Conservative activist Billboard Chris slammed Portnoy, arguing that Freedom is “defending women and girls from the cult of trans in the most effective way he possibly can.”
“I have never cared about a double double in the WNBA and I never will, like 99% of men,” he added. “But I care about this. Those women should all thank him for improving their ratings and their future paychecks.”
Freedom sat courtside at the game to support Cunningham, wearing a shirt that stated the definition of a woman as “adult human female.” He claimed that Cloud began shouting at him shortly after he celebrated a three-pointer made by Cunningham.
“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate. Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’” Kanter told OutKick. “And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’”
Portnoy has been one of the WNBA’s biggest critics, regularly ripping the league’s inexplicable bias against Clark. He also defended Fever guard Sophie Cunningham after she was leveled by Sky player DiJonai Carrington during a game earlier this month. Cunningham has become the center of attention in the WNBA following her comments on keeping men out of women’s sports last month. But Freedom’s response to the WNBA, including his declaration for the WNBA draft, are not helping solve issues in the league, according to Portnoy.
Freedom played his final years for the Boston Celtics, Portnoy’s favorite team, and in 2019, Portnoy said he was excited for the 6-foot-10 center to join the Celtics.
“I love Kanter. I love this new look Celtics team. Back to guys with heart who want to be here and win,” Portnoy said after Freedom signed with Boston.
