Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
HoopsHype

Enes Kanter Freedom: ‘This summer I did not receive one single offer’

“Free agency is open for one month. Normally, I should have already received offers. This summer I did not receive one single offer,” Enes Kanter noted updating his NBA status, roughly translated with a helping hand from Google, “The reason is that I spoke out against what is happening in China in recent months. The Chinese market is a big part of the NBA business. So, they will allow talking freely about anything you want until it hurts them financially. As soon as you do that, they will cut you. It is very sad and unacceptable.” “I knew there was a price to pay. And I don’t regret my actions. These things are bigger than me, bigger than the NBA, and bigger than basketball,” he added, “While I am playing in the USA, people are being killed all over the world or imprisoned or tortured in prisons. If this is the sacrifice I need to make, I am ready to live with it.”
Source: EuroHoops.net

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Enes Kanter Freedom believes he ‘should have already received offers’ from #NBA teams, does not regret actions, talks #EuroLeague, and more
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/13…4:02 AM

More on this storyline

“I am 30 years old. I can play another five or six years. I don’t intend to retire,” he explained once more, “I can’t go back to Turkey, that would be a one-way ticket.” “Keep in mind that I can’t enter Turkey and that Turkish Airlines is the name sponsor of EuroLeague,” he expanded on potentially exploring options outside of the NBA. -via EuroHoops.net / August 2, 2022
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. -via OutKick / June 17, 2022

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.