Oklahoma City's Enes Kanter receives death threats after failed coup in Turkey

Oklahoma City’s Enes Kanter has weathered death threats on Twitter in the wake of the failed military coup in his native Turkey. Photograph: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter said he’s received death threats following the coup in Turkey that failed to overthrow president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s regime.

The 24-year-old posted screenshots of a series of threats he’s received on Twitter since Friday in response to his support of exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen. The posts, written in Turkish, include phrases such as “You will die soon” beside ominous images of weapons and nooses.

Son bir kaç gündür aldığım sadece bazı Ölüm Tehditleri.!
Allah hepinizi ıslah eylesin. pic.twitter.com/a0mnYaEQGA

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) July 17, 2016

2) Ölüm Tehditleri yağmaya devam ediyor.
Durmak yok Duaya devam
Allah hepinizi ıslah eylesin. pic.twitter.com/aBfP0BiKf5

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) July 18, 2016

3) Ölüm Tehditleri devam ediyor.
Sizden korkan sizin gibi olsun.
Allah hepinizi ıslah eylesin. pic.twitter.com/fcFYw945De

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) July 19, 2016

Kanter spoke out against Erdoğan’s government in March after a terrorist bombing in Ankara that killed 37 people and injured more than 100, criticizing the country’s obstruction of broadcast media and access to social media.

Last year Kanter, a five-year NBA veteran who was tabbed with the No3 overall pick in the 2011 draft, said he was left off Turkey’s national team for EuroBasket 2015 due to his political views, a claim denied by national team coach Ergin Ataman.

The 6ft 11in post man was passed over for selection again for the Fiba Olympic qualifying tournament earlier this month in the Philippines, where Turkey failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics after bowing to France in the semi-finals.

“Death threats continue to fall,” Kanter posted on his verified Twitter feed, in Turkish. “Prayer does not stand still.”