Game 3 of the WNBA Finals comes with a security subplot. The Atlanta Dream and State Farm Arena arranged for former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom to watch Wednesday night’s Finals Game 3 against the Golden State Valkyries from a private luxury suite, after he raised concerns about his personal safety.
Enes Kanter Freedom (Credits: AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Freedom announced on social media earlier in the week that he planned to attend the game at State Farm Arena. In a statement, the arena said he had contacted federal, state and local authorities, the WNBA, the Dream and arena officials about his safety worries. After consultations with all parties, he was directed to the suite, which will have extra security — and state police assigned him an officer at his request.
Why the Concern?
Freedom told OutKick he had received “thousands of death threats” after announcing his plans, including messages warning he would be “the next Charlie Kirk”, referencing the recent fatal shooting of the conservative activist. He says he has contacted the FBI and credited Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office with connecting his team to law enforcement resources.
The Backstory
This is Freedom’s first WNBA game since late August, when he was ejected and banned from a Chicago Sky game after a heated interaction with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He said his motivation to attend the Finals came after Valkyries star Gabby Williams said she would support a trans athlete playing in the league — Freedom has spent months trolling the league over that issue, even declaring himself a prospect for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
The claimed number of threats and the security arrangements have not been independently confirmed, but the league and arena took no chances on its biggest stage.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
