Prominent China’s slave labor critic Enes Kanter Freedom opened up to OutKick about various topics, including the NBA’s ignorance of human rights violations in various regions and the reason why he was effectively kicked out of the league.
Bobby Burack: You are not on an NBA team right now. Is that because you speak out about human rights violations in China and Turkey?
Enes Kanter Freedom: Let me give you a very easy stat, it is not rocket science: last year, I played for the Portland Trail Blazers and averaged a double-double. We made the playoffs. And they are telling me that six months later, I forgot how to play basketball?
Even the kids on the streets will laugh at that notion. I believe I could start in many cases right now, but because the things I say are hurting the NBA financially, they wanted me out of the league. It’s that simple.
I just turned 30, and they are pushing me to retire. I can play another six or seven years easily. But unfortunately, with a league like this and with the players in it like this, it looks like it’s not possible.
Enes Kanter Freedom – an outspoken human rights activist – was traded by the Boston Celtics to Houston Rockets at the trading deadline. The Rockets waived him on Feb. 14.
The free-agent NBA big man has played 11 seasons for 5 teams, including the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz. He has averaged 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in 748 regular-season games.
