Enes Kanter Freedom: Exposing the NBA's relationship with China

“While we’re dribbling the ball on the other side of the ocean, people are losing their loved ones, lives, and hope,” says the former Celtics center.
reason.com/vid...
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“While we’re dribbling the ball on the other side of the ocean, people are losing their loved ones, lives, and hope,” says the former Celtics center.
When should professional athletes feel morally obligated to put their careers, their safety, and their freedom on the line to speak out about political injustice?
A chance encounter with a fan inspired NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom to use his fame to speak out about the issues that matter most.
Raised in Turkey, Enes Kanter Freedom moved to the U.S. when he was 17 to play basketball, attending high school and college in the country, and was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2011.
While posing for a photo with a fan, the fan's parents confronted Freedom. He recounted the incident to Reason:
"I took a picture with this kid. And while I was taking a picture, his parents called me out front of everybody."
The parents said to Freedom, "How can you call yourself a human rights activist when your Muslim brothers and sisters are getting tortured and raped every day in concentration camps in China?"
Since that incident, Freedom decided to speak out more about injustices worldwide. Freedom made headlines earlier this year for criticizing the NBA and its biggest stars for their business relationship with China, which has been accused of violating the civil rights of Turkic ethnic Muslims known as Uyghurs and forcing them into reeducation camps. In 2022, he was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Houston Rockets and then waived four days later.
Reason caught up with Freedom to talk about his early childhood, growing up in Turkey as a basketball prodigy, calls for his arrest, and what's driving his activism.
Produced by Noor Greene; camera by David Ehrenberg and Isaac Reese; production assistants: Adam Czarnecki and Regan Taylor; intro edited by Isaac Reese and Mike Koslap; interview edited by Adam Czarnecki
Music: Beyond by Anbr via Artlist
Photos: Nick Wass/Associated Press; Michael Dwyer/Associated Press; Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire DHZ/Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire/Newscom; akg-images/Newscom; Axel Springer jun./SVEN SIMON/picture alliance / SvenSimon/Newscom; Circa Images / Glasshouse Images/Newscom; Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire DHZ/Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire/Newscom; Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire DHZ/Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire/Newscom; Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire DHZ/Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire/Newscom; Jeff Zelevansky/Icon SMI 789/Jeff Zelevansky/Icon SMI/Newscom; Julia Bonavita/TNS/Newscom; Nhat V. Meyer/TNS/Newscom; Stephen M. Dowell/TNS/Newscom; Mirrorpix/Newscom; Avalon.red/Avalon; Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom; Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Newscom; Rick Davis/Splash News/Newscom; David Joles/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Pablo Alcala/ZUMApress/Newscom; Mark Cornelison | Staff/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Douglas Cuellar/Pi/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Douglas Cuellar/Pi/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Bianca Otero/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Ringo Chiu/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Jesse Owens in 1936/Acme News Photos/Public Domain; Angelo Cozzi/Mondadori Publishers/Public Domain

[@jeanniemaycrawford4466]

You know he's real when he's actually putting his career on the line

[@shawklan27]

The dude's the true people's champ!

[@Scrogan]

@gatherington +3 social credit points have been added to your account

[@placebojesus5652]

China is a much, much, much bigger customer/business partner of the NBA (and various related brands and sponsors, e.g. Nike, with multibillions of dollars at play) than with Russia (which equates to an essentially negligible partner for the NBA, maybe Adidas based on the squating Slavs in Adidas tracksuits meme lol but it’s not NBA connected at all obviously) is so you’re logic is dumb.

[@legaciestr]

don’t believe this guy. He is just a muslim fundamentalist sharia supporter in disguise. He is the member of a dangerous cult responsible for the death of many secularist proponents of western values in Turkey.

[@diodora2381]

@gatherington You know, it's real easy to not be a clown. In fact being a clown is a job, so you don't have to do it for free.

[@larrygerry985]

This is really is the example of what living by your values look like. LeBron talks alot, but stands for nothing other than money

[@shawklan27]

Preach

[@Nill757]

LeBrons is a modern day slaver. F him.

[@lennard5393]

Lebron is a puppet for china

[@nonchalant_kyle6522]

Lebron fan and i totally agree

[@Mason_23]

Why would he speak for China the whole America are in the bed with China.

[@ubermalice9589]

I don't care about basketball but this guy is an absolutely lovely human being.

[@legaciestr]

he is not, he is a sharia law supporter. He backed a failed coup in Turkey that was supposed to turn the country into an islamist state run by a muslim cult leader called Fethullah Gülen. don’t believe this guy’s attempts to align himself with the libertarian movement. He literally called for the death of Turkish secularists.

[@oscarfernandez8969]

no he isn't .... he pretends and could care less about armenians.. he puts on a show.. and treated his armenian fans like crap when he got to toronto... F$$$$$$$$$$$raud

[@secretbassrigs]

the truth is so obvious through the sacrifices he has made. His experiences regarding his family really touched me. I have so much more admiration for this man of integrity and benevolent morality. we all need to support him to keep his voice ringing for all our future generations.

[@ChiquiTuni]

What awesome human being. Putting politics aside and embracing causes that matter all over the world. I almost wish he would go into politics and fix the problem of corporations buying politicians, and getting real work done. I am humbled by this immigrant who holds our freedoms so dear, and wants to spread them out to the rest of the world.

[@davidpeters2625]

Enes Kanter is the epitome of the American Spirit.... he is willing to put his career on the line to stick up for what he knows is right. Kudos to him!!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@patriciawitt8174]

I have mad respect for this athlete

[@D0ugh.B0y]

He IS doing it for attention, ATTENTION ON THE TRUE INJUSTICES GOING ON IN CHINA AND HIS OWN COUNTRY. He doesn’t want attention for himself, he wants attention to be placed on the causes for which he is fighting and trying to bring awareness to. He won’t even sell the shoes he’s used in games with activist statements on them because he wants the focus on the cause, not on profiting for his own sake. I must say, I have so much love and respect for this guy. His heart is in the right place and he’s seeking to do the right thing. Enes Kanter Freedom absolutely has my absolute Love and Respect!!!

[@legaciestr]

You are so fooled by this guy. He is just in disguise. The reason this guy is persecuted in Turkey is because he is a supporter of sharia law and member of a dangerous islamist cult responsible for the deaths of many champions of individual rights and anti-islamists. This guy called for the death of atheists in Turkey. He supported a coup that was supposed to bring sharia law and make the country into an islamist state run by his cult. The reasons this guy hates Erdoğan (the president of Turkey) is a lot different than the reasons you and I hate him for. He literally thinks Erdoğan isn’t islamist enough.

[@kimj5037]

It is heartbreaking that Enes had to give up a relationship with his own family to bring attention to these horrific human rights abuses. And, as for the NBA, what hypocrites! Their human rights activism clearly ends at their pocketbooks.

[@selenahughes2401]

I am so grateful and impressed to hear a basketball player putting human beings before money. His story is inspiring.

[@secretbassrigs]

shadow banning should be illegal. please write your congressman/congresswoman to repeal or amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996.

[@njcolombo]

What a beautiful human this man is. Unfortunately our rulers are ugly to the core, and are steering humanity towards endless suffering and death.

[@susantoughlian9601]

he isn't.... he does not like armenians

[@michaelk2120]

Forget about playing ball, I don't understand how can he walk with such massive balls of titanium between his legs ...

[@deanibrahimagic227]

The beauty of freedom. Unfortunately a lot of (majority of) people around the world do not enjoy it.

[@slutmonke]

This is the most honorable way to do activism I've ever heard

[@TreDogOfficial]

Now _that's_ a big man! Peaceful but assertive

[@tthompson9244]

He's a great asset to his adopted country.

[@simphater1787]

this guy is a gigachad

[@legaciestr]

he is literally an islamic fundamentalist in disguise. he wants sharia law instituted in Turkey. he is an islamist cult member, a cult responsible for the death of many anti-islamist, secularist and libertarian adjacent activists in Turkey. He called for the death of secularists in interviews with Turkish TV. he is doing a great job of fooling America. This guy literally thinks Erdoğan isn’t islamist enough. Doesn’t that just ring alarm bells?

[@juangalton999]

Usually hate the whole "Chad/Virgin" thing. But I agree. He's a good guy.

[@juangalton999]

I'll take this guy any day over Brittney Griner. He loves our country and the values we stand for. He represents truly good activism, not done for personal profit but to make the world a better place.

[@davidhealdjr.513]

This guy is so cool, I can't even be mad that he didn't pick the Thunder as his favorite team.

[@whatsapme2037]

👆👆ʟᴇᴛ's ᴛᴀʟᴋ ɴᴏᴡ۩۩ ᴊᴏɪɴ ᴍʏ ғʀᴇᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ....

[@Tacoman1967]

As the U2 says "we eat and drink while tomorrow they die.."

[@ModeratelyAmused]

U2 helped fund half of the totalitarian regimes in Africa. Sometimes being progressive can be regressive if you just throw money at a problem and don't care where it lands.

[@kellylawson5959]

Bono is on their side music is just as much projecting the narrative

[@abramgaller2037]

He is a true "Profile in Courage".

[@legaciestr]

this guy wants sharia law and he called for the deaths of secularists in Turkey. look it up. He is an islamist cult member.

[@David_Drums]

Someone get this man a glass of water!

[@theeFBI]

This man, this legend, demands everyone’s complete respect. He is more American than most people who are born and raised in America. He understands that freedom is important, more important than ‘feelings’

[@Eliteownage]

This guy is a true role model.

[@legaciestr]

he is not at all. this guy is a supporter of sharia law.

[@klhilde]

@@legaciestr Can you point me to any evidense to back your assertion?

[@legaciestr]

@@klhilde it is a well known fact that he is a member of Fethullah Gülen’s cult. This organisation has made several corrupt attempts in Turkey to silence and jail secularist and pro-western activists. They killed Uğur Mumcu and Necip Hablemitoğlu, leading turkish journalists and authors who wrote several books about how this islamist cult is taking over governmental institutions. They’re not the “opposition” to Erdoğan as they’re trying to portray themselves as. They were allied with Erdoğan until late 2013. After that they had a power struggle. They literally dislike Erdoğan for not being islamist enough. The actual opposition in Turkey hates these people and think they’re different sides of the same coin. Look up Fethullah Gülen. He is an open supporter of sharia law. He has called for the death of atheists in Turkey.

[@klhilde]

@@legaciestr I am not familiar with his statements on the issue. Maybe you're right, but you have not demonstrated it. Rather, you have made more assertions. I shouldn't have to try to prove a negative, you've made a specific assertion and need to back it up. Give me a direct quote, or a source document, or something to back up your assertions. I don't give a damn about your assertions, I want the actual evidense.

[@legaciestr]

@@klhilde like you will understand if i send you the clips from turkish tv of the guy speaking

[@jonlieberman997]

This man is a true American hero.

[@a15thcenturysuitofgothicarmor]

The Chad freedom vs the Virgin Brittany

[@ds9311]

There are no words that can express how amazing he is and how important these things are.

[@kristinaolson77]

Wish she had asked if he's trying to bring his family here to the U.S.

[@Scrogan]

His family won’t be able to just fly out with passports.

[@richbirecki]

What a brave man! I love him

[@tenzin5857]

No words can describe the respect I have for this Man. Just amazing and compassionate human being.💕💕

[@Akivakatz88]

he is well spoken and more than that passionate keep speaking truth

[@VikingSummer]

I hope he runs for Congress

[@juangalton999]

Probably better if he didn't. Politics ruins people.

[@saml8967]

Fundamentalist Muslims don't belong in Congress.

[@juangalton999]

@@saml8967 That's against the civil rights act. If we can have fundamentalist Christians and Jews in Congress, we can certainly have Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis and Atheists.

[@saml8967]

@@juangalton999 Fundamentalist Islam is antithetical to America. Enes Kanter is a 🐍 and shouldn't be trusted.

[@jaewok5G]

I'm a lifelong fan of Boston sports and resident of Massachusetts where politics is sport and sport is universal and I'm disappointed in how our sports teams have become political. FREEDOM!!!

[@MAli-pu2mf]

Thank you so much for your effort and brave 👍🙏

[@overtblowfish4439]

The NBA and the NFL are slimy af

[@jmck1107]

And mlb and Golf

[@Areukiddingme1]

you will ALWAYS BE MY FAVOURITE NBA PLAYER ENES... SINCERELY THE ARMENIAN GIRL THAT APPRECIATED YOUR POST

[@Keepitquiet23]

Enes, WE STILL ADORE YOU AND LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.. I will never understand why you didn't reach out to your Armenian fans in November when you came to play basketball..i still have my JERSEY and want you to SIGN IT... will ALWAYS be a fan

[@timtrainage]

I like him!

[@SharifMatar]

Everyone should listen to this kind and courageous man.

[@richierich440007]

All I can say is that Enes Kantor Freedom is truly a WOLRD HERO. His unprecedented and ultra respectful position on HUMAN RIGHTS, is an absolute blessing to the entire truth regarding human rights as opposed to the unbearable political divides and or political C...C...P... pressure that’s been a world stain and will only continue to contribute to their sick HIDEN practices which in itself is a MAJOR reason why I WILL NEVER watch an NBA game, UNTIL they call out the atrocities that have, ARE as we speak & will CONTINUE until THEY and ALL co associate BIG SPORT, Big Brand, BIG BUCKS and HUGE endorsements STOP ENTIRELY & REVERSE in FULL + apologize to the USA / world for having SUPPORTED the endless and CRUEL abuses in C...H...I...N...A, period! Until then, #BoycottNBA #BoycottNike and all others who WON’T join into the humanitarian correction, IRRELEVANT of ANY amount of $$$ THEY LOSE! #EnesKantorFreedom is a #HERO 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇮🇱💙😇🙏🏻👊 THANK YOU #ReasonTV for this spectacular interview & for exposing this awesome content to US #WeThePeople AND #WeTheWorld 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@supersam1914]

Excellent interview

[@PlanetFrosty]

Excellent interview. I have great respect for Freedom!

[@hayrettinunver3270]

Enes is a true hero

[@atendriyadasa6746]

All of us (U S.) who have no fears are totally with you, Enes! You're forwarding the 'highway of diamonds' that Jackie Robinson, Muhammed Ali and countless others have paved. Keep on rockin'!!

[@NobleTenz]

Commenting to give my hats off to Mr.Freedom 🕊🕊and may be offset the incoming ignorant haters and 50 cent army🥰

[@vvolfflovv]

Very talented and under appreciated player.

[@alexanderx33]

This guy looks VERY similar to Dave Smith

[@JLHtheIII]

What a great man

[@Paul-dw2cl]

ReasonTV - Where have you been all my life?

[@robi8020]

It was surprising to see a chair provided that doesn’t comfortably accommodate his size...

[@KANSASIOUX]

You are looking at a man.

[@aykutTurk06]

Hello l just wonder, he said America opened me her arm, is the phrase “her” true or does it change from country to country by using his or her? Or do you choose “it” generally?

[@ibrahimklc7776]

He is realy fighting for human right

[@Areukiddingme1]

We love you ENES.... ARMENIANS LOVE YOU... I WISH WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU CAME TO TORONTO LAST YEAR... I WANT YOU TO REACH OUT.. WANNA HERE FROM YOU.. IF YOUR MANAGER STILL HAS MY NUMBER .. GET HIM TO CALL ME PLEASE. CURRENTLY FIGHTING IN ARMENIA WITH AZERBAIJAN .. SCARED ITS GONNA GET WORSE

[@boognewsnetwork7620]

Enes you are BASED! I hope you become an Anarchist and embrace true freedom.

[@lilguap5575]

This is crazy, save #saverenesfreedom

[@kellylawson5959]

Great human being

[@iampkhacker]

I'd bet money alot of it this guy is now an American. I haven't watched it all just to where he talked the guy posting stuff about the president and finding out you have freedoms here, you can his it in his voice.

[@c_rob1]

He spoke out against a tyrannical government while his family was still under it's rule... That's actually irresponsible

[@grantcivyt]

What a disgraceful showing by the NBA and its players.

[@user-ho3nf8gg6e]

Enes I admire your cause but you should try to get out to players like Michael Jordan Charles Barkley and shaquiel oneal

[@susantoughlian9601]

VAN IS ARMENIAN... VAN IS ARMENIAN... VAN IS ARMENIAN... VAN IS ARMENIAN

[@mandajean3139]

Beautiful human.

[@susantoughlian9601]

VAN IS ARMENIAN VAN IS ARMENIA.... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA

[@nothisispatrick1753]

this what happened with Ozil

[@obasar857]

I love him

[@sifridbassoon]

What a role model! And then there's Collin Kaepernick 🤮🤮 I was really hoping that Erdugan would not get reelected, but....

[@DineroA1]

Colin kapernick lost his career because of a knee its the same thing

[@DaddyBLUE90S]

There’s Homie travels nonstop speaking in different places I bet you he loses his voice all the time that’s probably why he’s clearing his throat

[@mr.hasanalghazali2000]

I love football team never then game 😜

[@ao1304]

Enes Kanter sehr gute Menschen

[@errolflynn4330]

What about the Palestinians or is that a hard one coz you may lose your career

[@evgin8107]

👍👍👍

[@kennysmith1336]

He's not a good player that's why he's not playing

[@lingyiihua9647]

most useless palyer (MUP) in NBA.

[@yakamoz4964]

You definitely have to go back to your career, it's so unfair and everyone should say it..

[@sf6199]

Ñëō ñãžî propoganda

[@ocsc9055]

Bro what

[@sf6199]

@@ocsc9055 kanter is a well known fascist and a semi human cancer cell

[@ocsc9055]

@@sf6199 how

[@sf6199]

@@ocsc9055 in every possible way, shape and form

[@susantoughlian9601]

VAN IS ARMENIAN VAN IS ARMENIA.... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA

[@susantoughlian9601]

VAN IS ARMENIAN VAN IS ARMENIA.... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA... VAN IS ARMENIA