Dave Portnoy was among the prominent voices to criticize Enes Kanter following his confrontation with Natasha Cloud on Sunday. After the former NBA player was ejected from Wintrust Arena due to a heated exchange with the Chicago Sky guard, Portnoy called Kanter “an absolute clown.”
Kanter responded Wednesday, taking direct aim at the Barstool Sports founder and defending his decision to attend the game.
Enes Kanter vs. Dave Portnoy – Former NBA Star Fires Back After Barstool Founder Slams WNBA Stunt
Kanter’s WNBA involvement began earlier this month when he declared his intention to enter next year’s draft. The former NBA lottery pick claims to identify as a woman and is challenging the league’s eligibility rules by entering his name into the prospect pool.
On Sunday, Kanter attended the Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever, sitting near courtside while supporting Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham has been outspoken about transgender athletes competing against women, making Kanter’s presence another source of tension in an already contentious debate.
The situation escalated late in the third quarter when Cloud became visibly upset and approached Kanter.
The former Boston Celtics center unfurled his full 6-foot-10 frame to display the message on his shirt, which read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female,” before moving toward the Sky guard.
Kanter never reached Cloud. Arena security blocked him and escorted him from the building. Afterward, Portnoy criticized the former NBA player for what he saw as an attempt to make the controversy about himself.
On the primetime Newsmax program “Finnerty,” Kanter responded directly to Portnoy.
“Dave Portnoy, please come and speak to my face. He’s like a Twitter troll about this whole thing. But anyway, I respect him because he’s a Celtics fan,” Kanter said.
“Dave Portnoy, please come and speak to my face. He’s like a Twitter troll about this whole thing. But anyway, I respect him because he’s a Celtics fan.”
Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom reacts to being called out by Dave Portnoy for making the WNBA issue personal. Freedom… pic.twitter.com/8rHCtrTn2b
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) August 27, 2026
When host Rob Finnerty asked whether Portnoy had a point, Kanter pushed back. He argued that some WNBA players, particularly Gabby Williams, have expressed support for transgender athletes competing in the league.
Kanter also pointed to coaches who have advocated for greater inclusivity, a position that contrasts with Cunningham’s public stance.
His broader fight with the WNBA focuses on the league’s use of the word “women” in its eligibility rules. Kanter told Finnerty that if the WNBA adds “biological” before “female” in its Collective Bargaining Agreement, “I will drop everything immediately.”
The controversy took another turn Monday when it was reported that sources had indicated the WNBA had deemed Kanter and Royce White, another former NBA player seeking to enter the league, ineligible for the draft.
Kanter has rejected that report as “fake news,” saying the league has neither directly informed him of an eligibility decision nor responded to his letter of intent.
For now, the dispute remains unresolved, with Kanter continuing to challenge the WNBA while critics such as Portnoy question the way he has chosen to make his case.
