Enes Kanter Freedom says he’s in touch with FBI after death threats over WNBA Finals plans

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom says he is in contact with the FBI after receiving death threats over his plans to attend Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in Atlanta, including messages warning that he would be „the next Charlie Kirk.“

Freedom told OutKick that he intends to attend Wednesday’s game between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries despite the threats, and said he was arranging security for his return to a WNBA arena following his ejection from a Chicago Sky game in August.

„So we are in touch with FBI. We have our own security,“ Freedom said, adding that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s office has already provided him security as well.

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„We have a conversation with the governor and he’s providing us security as well. But we are in touch with FBI as well. There’s going to be a lot of FBI officers around the game, so, and they will be protecting us.“

A spokesperson from Kemp’s office told OutKick, „Our office connected their team with the appropriate law enforcement resources.“

Freedom described receiving „thousands of death threats“ after announcing that he would attend the game. The claimed number of threats and the federal and state security arrangements he described have not been independently confirmed.

Asked about the worst threat he had received, Freedom described a message warning that he would be „the next Charlie Kirk.“

„Look, I’m just simply saying that I’m going to be attending the game,“ he said. „My DMs are full of pictures and videos of the moment that Charlie Kirk got shot, and they’re saying that you’re going to be next very soon,“ Freedom continued. „It’s a shame.“

Freedom also shared a video compilation on social media Tuesday presenting messages as threats against him ahead of his trip to Atlanta.

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Game 3 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at State Farm Arena. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 after Atlanta’s 79-65 victory in Game 2 on Monday.

Freedom’s planned appearance comes amid his dispute with the WNBA over eligibility for the league. He and fellow former NBA player Royce White announced plans to enter the 2027 draft while saying they identify as women.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Republican lawmakers in an Oct. 16 letter that neither is eligible, writing that „only women are eligible to play in the WNBA and the individuals you cite in your letter are both men.“

Freedom has said he wants the league to adopt an explicit eligibility restriction based on biological sex. He has pointed to Valkyries player Gabby Williams’ support for transgender participation as the inspiration for his effort to enter the league.

„I’m going there to enjoy the game,“ Freedom said of his plans for Wednesday. „I’m going there to support all these hardworking women, especially Gabby Williams and Angel Reese.“

His last visit to a WNBA game ended with his removal from an Aug. 23 contest between the Sky and Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena following a confrontation with Chicago guard Natasha Cloud.

The Sky subsequently banned Freedom from their home games. He later filed a lawsuit alleging that his First Amendment rights had been violated. Sky owner Michael Alter disputed his account and said security removed him because of his conduct rather than his speech.

Freedom maintained in the interview that he had done nothing wrong during the Chicago incident. Asked how he would respond if another player confronted him in Atlanta, he said he did not intend to escalate an encounter.

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„I’m going there to watch the game and I’m going there to support them, actually. So if a player gets in my face, I’m not planning to do anything,“ he said. „I did not, and I’m not going to cross the baseline or the sideline,“ he added.

Freedom also said Reese had blocked him on X, despite what he described as having no previous interaction with her.

„I never had a conversation. I never even seen her in my life before,“ he said. „Never even talked to her, never even seen her.“

He nevertheless picked Atlanta to win the game and the series.

„I think it’s going to be Atlanta,“ he said. „I think they’re playing really good basketball.“

Freedom teased a shirt he plans to wear to the game but did not reveal its wording during the interview. At the Chicago game, he wore a shirt bearing a definition of „woman“ as an „adult human female.“ He said he wanted his presence in Atlanta to be understood as support for women’s sports.

„We are not here to mock or make fun of anyone or any personal decision,“ he said.

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„Many people think that I’m going there to troll. No, I’m going there to support women, protect women, and make sure that I enjoy the game.“

OutKick reached out to the FBI, the Georgia Department of Public Safety, the WNBA, the Atlanta Dream, and representatives for State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks for comment on Freedom’s reported death threats, planned attendance and claims about security arrangements.