Stephanie White told reporters to ignore the presence of Enes Kanter Freedom at a game.
Posted by VINCE, Checked
- Sources
- 6 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 85%
VINCEAug 25, 2026
Multiple outlets quote Stephanie White telling reporters after the Fever-Sky game, "I think it's important that people like you guys in this room don't give it any gas... It's a social media thing," in response to Enes Kanter Freedom's courtside ejection, which supports the claim that she urged the media to ignore him.
What was said
… Here she is seated alongside her coach this weekend, right after the game where Inez Cantor Freedom was thrown out, and the two of them were just asked about, you know, what happened here. Like, are you paying attention to the drama? And they straight up just said, everyone should ignore this. Don't give it any gas. Don't pay any attention to Inez Cantor Freedom or the purpose of his mission. Watch this clip from this weekend: "Have to ask about having to deal with this again in another game, as you guys are getting done playing a great basketball game, but another time where we're talking about this and not what's happening on the court." …
VINCE · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. White, asked postgame about the incident involving Enes Kanter Freedom, told reporters not to "give it any gas" and called it "a social media thing," as quoted in multiple outlets.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Supports. Coverage describes White as urging the media not to give Kanter the attention he was seeking, matching the claim's core that she asked reporters to disregard Freedom's presence at the game.[3][5][6]
Context. The incident occurred at the Fever-Sky game in Chicago, where Freedom was ejected after a verbal exchange with Natasha Cloud, which matches the "at a game" element.[2][4]
Context. The claim's wording "ignore the presence of" is a loose paraphrase of "don't give it any gas"; the sources report a request to avoid giving attention rather than an explicit instruction to ignore his presence.[2][3][4]
Sources
6 sources: 1 fact-checker, 5 not rated
- 1Fever coach Stephanie White says divisiveness 'will not ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Fever coach dismisses Enes Kanter Freedom's women's sports fight as a 'social media thing'foxbangor.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 3Fever coach sends a message on Enes Kanter Freedomsports.yahoo.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 4Stephanie White sends blunt request after courtside incident at Fever-Sky game | Sporting Newssportingnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 5Fever Coach Stephanie White Urges Media To Ignore ...thespun.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Fever Coach Stephanie White Urges Media To Ignore Enes Kantermercedsunstar.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after wearing a shirt defining a woman as an adult human female.True
- Front Office Sports reported that WNBA league sources referred to the draft declarations by Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White as publicity stunts.True
- Stephanie White is the coach of the Indiana Fever.True
- Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have declared their intention to enter the 2027 WNBA draft.True
- Arena officials at the Fever versus Dream game forced fans wearing shirts that said 'XX XY' to cover them up.Mixed