Enes Kanter Freedom has come forward with new allegations regarding the culture of the NBA during his playing career and sent a warning to the WNBA amid his ongoing feud regarding the league's gender eligibility policy.

Freedom's new statements come one day after the WNBA tried to direct him to sit in a private luxury suite at Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in Atlanta instead of the courtside seat he purchased, amid security concerns. The change in arrangement resulted in a highly-publicized encounter with police at the entrance of State Farm Arena, which resulted in Freedom leaving the venue entirely amid disagreements over where he wanted to sit.

Now Freedom is revealing that his former Boston Celtics teammate Dennis Schröder privately questioned LeBron James’ motives as an activist, and that his Celtics teammates once shunned him for making an appearance on Fox News in his final year in the league in 2021.

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According to Freedom, he asked Schröder that season what James was like as a teammate and how he viewed James’ public advocacy.

"He said, 'Whatever is LeBron doing is for LeBron.' I was like, enough said. We don't have to say a word anymore. Because, uh, I used to respect him a lot, you know, uh, for what he'd done for Black community. Uh, but when one of his former teammates said, you know, all his advocacy is for, is for LeBron, um, that's where, that's where he lost me."

Freedom also criticized James’ conduct during the national anthem before Philadelphia’s season opener against the Knicks on Tuesday. Video showed James making apparent golf and shooting motions during the performance, prompting criticism from President Donald Trump on Thursday.

"But I mean, everybody knows LeBron James... I call him the dictator of the NBA. And I think President Trump said the best. You know, he disrespects our country and disrespects our flag," Freedom said. "LeBron James is the reason the NBA is woke still. I promise you, once he retires, NBA is not going to be as woke as now."

In terms of the league's "woke" culture, Freedom also recalled an incident in his final year when he was praised for doing a television appearance on CNN, but shunned for going on Fox News to discuss the same topic of human rights abuses in China.

"I actually attended a show on CNN. The next day I walk in the locker room, they were saying, 'Good job last night, we watched your interview, keep doing what you're doing," he said. "The next morning I walk in the locker room, nobody said a word to me. They were not even looking at me. I was getting these dirty looks. I asked one of my teammates, I'm like, what happened?"

Freedom said a teammate explained that the objection was to the outlet carrying his message.

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"They said, well, we watched your interview again last night. I'm like, okay. It's not your interviews, it's who you did it with. I walk on the court, one of my assistant coaches came up to me and whisper— he was whispering in my ear, hey man, me and my family watched you last night, good job. I'm like, why are you whispering?"

According to Freedom, the coach feared a backlash of his own.

"He said, because I don't want your teammates to know that I watch Fox News. I was like, why? They said, well, because none of them will talk to me the rest of the year."

Freedom said he explained to teammates that appearing on the network did not mean endorsing a political party, and that he wanted his human rights advocacy to reach a wider audience. But they weren't receptive to that reasoning, he claims.

"In NBA circles, we don't talk about Fox News, we don't watch Fox News, and if you do, you will realize that you are going to get cancelled and you're going to get hated on," Freedom said.

But Freedom also claimed that those beliefs are different in private, for some, claiming that that some players privately support conservative causes and President Donald Trump but conceal those views because they fear how they would be treated.

But Freedom claimed some NBA players privately support conservative causes and Trump while concealing those views because they fear how others would treat them.

"But there are many people actually that supports the conservative movements, supports the Republican Party, uh, many of them actually supports President Trump, but just because of they know that they will get canceled and they will get hated on throughout the whole year, they're just hiding it. I mean, you're not even allowed to say you watch Fox News," Freedom said.

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Freedom said he has encountered similar reluctance to speak publicly among former NBA colleagues discussing his current campaign to push the WNBA to explicitly restrict eligibility to biological females.

He said some initially questioned his tactics, but expressed support after he explained his intentions.

"I don't want to give their name because I know, I just know that as soon as I expose their name, then there will be a lot of questions," Freedom said.

According to Freedom, those conversations included players telling him "we cannot help you," while also saying, "but now we understand what you're doing and we support you and we will pray for you."

Freedom also pointed to a podcast conversation with Michael Porter Jr., saying Porter initially had questions about the campaign and understood his position better after they discussed it. He did not identify the other players he said privately supported him.

Meanwhile, Freedom named Kevin Durant, Patrick Beverley, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson among the current and former NBA players he said have criticized him, challenging them to discuss their disagreements directly.

"Invite me to your podcast and let's sit down and talk. And let me explain to you why am I doing the things that I'm doing. Don't just go on Twitter. Don't just go on social media and just tweet about it. You know how to, you know, you have my number."

His campaign to join the WNBA has now culminated in two hostile incidents at WNBA arenas after he was ejected from a Chicago Sky game in August, and then faced police resistance while trying to enter State Farm Arena on Wednesday night.

Freedom said one of the reasons that sitting courtside on Wednesday was so important to him was because he wanted to make sure that his shirt, which read "What is a woman?" would be as visible as possible during the game. Asked whether he wanted television cameras to capture his "What is a woman?" shirt from courtside, he acknowledged that visibility was part of his thinking.

"I mean, that was one of the reasons maybe. My main reason was I wanted to support the WNBA," he said.

But he said accepting the suite was never an option.

"They were trying to put me in a prison box. And I mean, everyone knows me that I'm not going to bow down or kneel to someone who is trying to silence me," Freedom said.

The Atlanta Dream and State Farm Arena said the arrangement responded to safety concerns Freedom himself had raised with authorities and basketball officials. They said the suite would have additional security and was intended to protect him and other guests.

Although Freedom objected to being surrounded by police at the entrance, he acknowledged that the officers treated him courteously.

"They were very, actually very kind. They were trying to do their job, and I was being very very nice to them as well," he said. "This is not their fault."

He nevertheless rejected suggestions that he should have accepted the seating arrangement or handled the encounter more diplomatically.

"I think I handled everything perfectly," he said.

Freedom also pushed back against accusations that his campaign is a publicity stunt, pointing to threats he said included references to Charlie Kirk’s shooting.

"I think people need to understand I'm getting death threats every hour. I mean, I showed you that the text messages, you know, yesterday that people are sending me pictures and videos of the moment that Charlie Kirk got shot and said, you are next," he said.

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"So I'm not that crazy. I'm not going to put my life on risk just to get attention."

Freedom said the campaign would end if the WNBA explicitly restricted eligibility to biological females. The league has already declared Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White ineligible, while its collective bargaining agreement limits participation to women without specifying sex assigned at birth.

"I'm literally telling the league that define what a woman is, or add the word biological in your collective bargaining next to the word female. I will disappear the next day," Freedom said.

But he said he was finished initiating further discussions with league officials.

"If they would like to sit down and have a conversation with me, listen, I love diplomacy," he said. "But I'm done reaching out. So if they would like to reach out, uh, go ahead. You have my number."

Despite the league’s eligibility determination, Freedom said he still intends to attend the next draft and continue preparing for it. He also claimed the campaign could expand to include additional male professional players, whom he did not identify.

"If they don't draft me and if they don't change the rules, now they have to deal with 6 other male professional players," he said.

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"And if not, again, this is not a threat, next year will be very interesting."

ATLANTA – Angel Reese helped the Atlanta Dream win a WNBA Finals game for the first time Monday. Two nights later, she helped them take their first lead in a Finals series.

ATLANTA DREAM, GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES SKIP NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WNBA FINALS GAME

Reese finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena, taking a 2–1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Reese has totaled 51 points and 28 rebounds in Atlanta’s two victories.

Reese became the youngest player in WNBA Finals history to record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games, joining A’ja Wilson as the only players to accomplish the feat.

And to give the Dream and their fans credit, I previously questioned whether Atlanta could fill State Farm Arena for the Finals. They answered that with a resounding yes on Wednesday night. Game 3 was a sellout, and the building was loud.

Before tip-off, both teams again left the court for the national anthem, marking their third straight absence in the series. They returned moments after the performance ended. The WNBA’s rulebook calls for players, coaches and trainers to stand and line up during the anthem, and the league has not answered OutKick’s questions about the absences.

Once the game started, Reese picked up where she left off in San Francisco. She scored Atlanta’s first basket and finished the opening quarter with eight points, including a three-pointer that pushed the Dream’s lead to 22–12.

Golden State missed its first eight shots and didn’t make a field goal until 4:38 remained in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23–15 after one.

WNBA ANTHEM CONTROVERSY SPARKS CALLS TO BAR PLAYERS WHO DON'T STAND FROM TEAM USA OLYMPIC ROSTER

Reese added another three in the second quarter and went into halftime with 15 points, matching her first-half total from Game 2. Naz Hillmon made three first-half threes of her own, helping Atlanta take a 46–40 lead into the break.

The Valkyries made a push to start the third. Cecilia Zandalasini hit two threes in the opening 68 seconds, and Golden State tied the game at 48, then again at 49.

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Reese helped Atlanta answer. After Rhyne Howard put the Dream back in front, Reese made two free throws, assisted on an Isobel Borlase layup and scored on a running layup herself. That completed an 8–0 run and gave Atlanta a 57–49 lead.

Golden State cut the deficit to four, but the Dream kept scoring after Reese went to the bench with 3:31 left in the quarter. DeWanna Bonner hit a three to start a 12–2 finish to the period, scoring five points during that stretch.

ANGEL REESE DOMINATES GAME 2 AS ATLANTA DREAM EVEN WNBA FINALS WITH GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES

Atlanta led 71–57 entering the fourth and Golden State never really threatened in the final period.

Hillmon finished with 15 points, while Jordin Canada added 8 assists. Rhyne Howard had her best offensive performance of the series, scoring 16 points.

Atlanta again held down Golden State’s Gabby Williams, who finished with 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting.

Atlanta entered these Finals without a win in its three previous appearances, then lost Saturday’s opener. Now Reese and the Dream are two victories from a championship.

Game 4 is Saturday at State Farm Arena.

ATLANTA – A change of cities did not bring a change in the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries’ national anthem routine.

Both teams were off the court during the anthem before Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena, marking their third straight absence despite a provision in the league’s own rulebook calling for players to stand and line up during the performance.

Just like in Games 1 and 2, players jogged off the court just seconds before the start of the anthem and returned mere moments after it concluded.

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The WNBA, both teams and the NBA still have not answered OutKick’s questions about the absences.

WNBA rulebook calls for players to stand and line up

The WNBA’s 2026 official rulebook says players, coaches and trainers are to "stand and line up in a dignified posture" along the sidelines or on the foul line during the national anthem.

OutKick asked the WNBA whether any discipline was planned or under consideration following the anthem absences, whether either team had received an exemption and whether the league would instruct the teams to be on the court for Game 3.

Both teams were asked to explain their absences and whether the league had communicated any instructions or expectations about the anthem.

OutKick first contacted the WNBA, Dream and Valkyries after Saturday’s opener, followed up Sunday and contacted all three again Tuesday.

NBA also received questions before Game 3

The questions extended to the NBA league office before the series moved to Atlanta.

OutKick contacted NBA Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass on Tuesday, asking whether the NBA has any role in overseeing or enforcing the WNBA’s anthem provision.

NBA STAYS SILENT ON WNBA FINALS TEAMS SKIPPING NATIONAL ANTHEM IN GAMES 1 AND 2

The inquiry also asked whether NBA Commissioner Adam Silver or anyone at the NBA league office had discussed the absences with WNBA leadership, whether any guidance had been provided and whether the teams would be instructed to be present for Wednesday’s anthem.

The NBA did not respond.

OutKick also sought to ask about the anthem during the Finals press conferences. I raised my hand at all five of Saturday’s pregame and postgame sessions, all four coaches’ sessions Monday and both coaches’ pregame sessions Wednesday, but was not called on in any of the 11.

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The teams weren’t the only ones who didn’t stand for Wednesday’s anthem.

Two people seated in an area designated for WNBA public relations staff remained in their seats during the performance. Afterward, I asked both why they hadn’t stood. Neither provided an explanation.

OutKick could not immediately confirm their identities and is working to determine their names and roles.

The venue changed, but the anthem absences continued.

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Three games into the Finals, the WNBA’s own rulebook calls for a lineup, its teams remain off the floor and the league still has not explained the apparent violation.

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was seen leaving State Farm Arena on Wednesday after a heated and lengthy confrontation with police at the security entrance over his seating arrangement for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. 

Prior to the game, Freedom was directed to watch Wednesday night’s WNBA Finals game from a private luxury suite with additional security after contacting authorities and basketball officials about concerns for his safety. Freedom was seen saying "I guess they'll have to drag me," in a video of a phone conversation with arena security, defying the directive.

When he arrived at the arena, he was told that if he were let in, he was told by a security officer he would have to go to the suite that was designated for him, to which Freedom aggressively protested, as seen in footage posted by Benny Johnson.

Freedom repeatedly demanded access to the seats he said he had purchased, rejecting the suite arrangement. "I purchased thousands of dollars of tickets, right? And I would like to sit on my seat. That’s all I want," he said.

An official cited both Freedom’s previously expressed safety concerns and his ejection from an earlier WNBA game as reasons for the arrangement. "For one, you expressed you were concerned about your security. You showed up here, right, with security," the official said. "So we’re saying we’re gonna make this a safe environment for you."

The exchange grew more contentious when an official referenced Freedom’s social media post about a player. Freedom defended the post as free speech. When told he was targeting people, he repeatedly demanded to know whom the official meant.

"Give me a name. Give me exactly a name," he said.

Freedom was also told he would receive a refund, but continued to reject the arrangement. 

"I don’t want a refund. I would like to sit on my seat and enjoy the game," he said. 

He accused those handling the encounter of bullying him and compared the proposed suite restriction to being placed in a cage.

Officers ultimately told Freedom he had to leave the property, explaining that he could go onto public streets. He eventually departed, saying, "Well, I guess you got to escort me," before walking away.

Afterward, Freedom accused the organizations involved of excluding him because of his advocacy. 

"They kicked me out of the game for supporting women," he said in a conversation with Johnson. "Shame on the NBA and shame on the WNBA." 

He also denied having security concerns, despite his earlier statements about threats and the explanation given during the encounter. 

Asked whether he felt discriminated against, Freedom responded, "Of course, this is discrimination."

The arrangement for Game 3 between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries at State Farm Arena follows Freedom’s public claims that he received death threats over his planned attendance. He previously told OutKick he was in contact with the FBI and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's office about the threats.

State Farm Arena provided a statement to OutKick outlining the security arrangements. Freedom contacted federal, state and local authorities, along with the WNBA, the Dream and arena officials.

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"Enes Kanter Freedom has contacted federal, state and local authorities, the WNBA, the Atlanta Dream and State Farm Arena officials to express concerns about his personal safety during his planned attendance at Game 3 of the WNBA Finals tonight. The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority," the statement read."

"Following consultations with the WNBA, Dream ownership, State Farm Arena leadership and security officials, we have directed Mr. Freedom to watch tonight’s game from a private luxury suite. This arrangement is intended to address his security concerns and help provide a safe and positive experience for him and other guests. The suite will have additional security and will be his designated viewing location for the game. State police have also assigned an officer to Mr. Freedom at his request."

Freedom posted a video on X of his conversation with a security representative about the arrangements.

"I don't want a suite, I would like to to sit on the seat that I bought and purchased. I do not want a suite, I'm going to come and sit on the seats that I just bought, that's it," Freedom said when the representative informed him that he would have to sit in a suite.

The representative responded, telling Freedom, "The only thing available to you tonight is the suite."

Freedom subsequently responded, declaring, "Do you know everyone, every media that is going to hear about this right?" later adding, "I guess they'll have to drag me."

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Freedom previously told OutKick he had received "thousands of death threats" after announcing his plans to attend, including messages warning that he would be "the next Charlie Kirk." The number of threats he described has not been independently verified.

"My DMs are full of pictures and videos of the moment that Charlie Kirk got shot," Freedom said, adding that the messages warned he would suffer the same fate. He also posted a compilation Tuesday showing messages he presented as threats against him.

Freedom said he had contacted the FBI and arranged his own security. A spokesperson for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp separately told OutKick that the governor’s office had connected Freedom’s team with the appropriate law enforcement resources.

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Despite the threats, Freedom said he intended to attend to support women’s basketball. Asked how he would respond if a player confronted him, he said he would avoid escalating the encounter and would remain off the court.

Freedom’s planned appearance comes after his removal from an August game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever following a heated interaction with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He was subsequently banned from the Chicago arena.

The former NBA center has challenged the WNBA over eligibility for transgender athletes and announced an attempt to enter its draft.

WNBA TELLS CONGRESS THAT ENES KANTER FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE ARE ‘BOTH MEN’ IN ELIGIBILITY DISPUTE

Wednesday’s game tipped off at 8 p.m. Eastern. Atlanta and the Hawks arranged for the Dream to host Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena, moving the championship games from the smaller Gateway Center Arena.