Enes Kanter was removed from his courtside seat at the WNBA Finals Game 3 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday after the Dream offered him a private suite instead. The team’s statement explained that after discussions with the WNBA, Dream ownership, State Farm Arena leadership, and security officials, Kanter was directed to watch the game from a private luxury suite rather than courtside.
Kanter, who attended the game intending to sit courtside, posted a video on Twitter claiming he was kicked out for supporting women. “They kicked me out of the game for supporting women,” he said, though the reason for the change in seating was not detailed beyond the team’s statement about safety and security.
WNBA analyst Robin Lundberg, a former NBA player, also tweeted about the situation on Wednesday night. He wrote, “ATTENTION! Just talked to director of security of the @NBA and they are now banning us from our purchased seats. Shame on @WNBA. I guess they have to escort me out of the building. Stay tuned.” Later, Lundberg quoted his own post and added, “Yeah that first word is what you are looking for.”
At the time of writing, Kanter has not posted further updates beyond his initial tweet about being removed from the game.
The Atlanta Dream’s decision to move Kanter to a private suite followed consultations involving multiple parties, including the WNBA and arena officials. The team’s statement did not specify the exact nature of the concerns but emphasized the coordinated decision with security and league representatives.
Kanter’s presence at the game had attracted attention prior to the incident. Following the game, social media reactions to his attendance were mixed, with some WNBA fans expressing fatigue over his repeated attempts to be involved at WNBA events.
The WNBA Finals Game 3 saw the Golden State Valkyries face off against the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena, where the incident unfolded. No further details have been made public regarding Kanter’s removal or any formal response from the WNBA or the NBA security director mentioned by Lundberg.
This episode adds to the ongoing attention Kanter draws off the court, with the latest development involving his attempt to attend a high-profile WNBA game ending in his removal from the seating area he had originally purchased.
According to Yahoo Sports.