Enes Freedom has found a way to keep himself in the conversation, even with his NBA career long behind him. These days, the former Jazz big man has turned his attention to the WNBA, or at least to making sure everyone knows he wants in on the action, and he’s doing it by interrupting games.
That kind of stunt feels on-brand for Freedom, who has never exactly built a reputation for subtlety. Utah learned that the hard way during his exit in 2015, when he was still Enes Kanter.
The breakup made sense on one level: Rudy Gobert’s sudden rise had pushed Freedom into a smaller role, and he wanted something different. But instead of handling it behind closed doors, he made his frustration public to reporters before telling the team what he wanted.
Once Utah moved him out, the bridge didn’t just crack - it was burned down.
Freedom did not soften his stance after the trade to Oklahoma City. Not long after the move, he described his time in Utah as a "three-and-a-half-year frustration." He also said that playing for the Thunder gave him the chance to enjoy basketball again.
He kept the barbs coming a few years later, too. When asked who he was backing in the Jazz’s first-round series against the Thunder, he aimed straight at Utah’s crowd and called it "terrible."
To his credit, he later walked those remarks back. But the bigger pattern has stayed the same.
Freedom has a long track record of chasing attention, welcoming backlash and saying exactly what he wants out loud. Whatever this latest chapter turns into, his history with the Jazz is a pretty good reminder that he’s fully capable of stirring the pot.
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