Former NBA player says he'd like to become a member of Congress



Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom said during a Thursday appearance on Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria," that he would eventually like to become a member of Congress.

"I actually do," Freedom replied when Bartiromo asked him if he had interest in making a run for public office. She then asked him if he would like to serve as a member of Congress: "I would actually," Freedom replied, adding, "when the time is right."

When asked if he is currently making plans to run for public office, Freedom responded in the affirmative, but when asked if he is fundraising, Freedom said he has not begun yet.

  Enes Kanter Freedom considers run for public office: 'When the time is right' youtu.be 

Freedom, who regularly speaks out against human rights abuses around the globe, has been an outspoken critic of China and of the NBA for its extensive business connections to China and its refusal to condemn China for human rights violations.

Earlier this month, he attended President Joe Biden's State of the Union address as a guest of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

 
\u201c.@EnesFreedom loves the USA. He understands freedom. And he is willing to sacrifice his job in order to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party.\n \nI was proud to have him as one of my guests for State of the Union.\u201d
— Kevin McCarthy (@Kevin McCarthy) 1675896603 
 

Freedom, 30, was born in Switzerland but raised in Turkey — in 2021, he was sworn in as an American citizen and added "Freedom" to his name.

"I am proud to be an American. Greatest nation in the world. The Land of the free, and home of the brave," he tweeted when sharing a video of his swearing in ceremony.

NBA star LeBron James recently broke the NBA record for most career points scored, but Freedom has accused him of bowing to China.

The Spectator reported that Freedom said James "knows that the shoes that he has been wearing are made by slave kids. So I do not respect any of the Nike athletes out there who are talking about social justice."

 
\u201cPeople get mad when I speak the truth because I\u2019m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth.\nI don\u2019t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money.\n\nYou can NOT buy me #CCP!\n\nDon\u2019t expect me to respect you or your game when your shoes are literally made by SLAVE KIDS\u201d
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1675869415 
 

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Enes Freedom says LeBron James bows to China and has '0 Morals'



Basketball star LeBron James made history on Tuesday when he broke the NBA record for most career points scored, but former NBA player Enes Freedom is publicly slamming James.

Freedom accused James of bowing to China, tweeting a list that included, "38,388 Points," "0 Morals," "0 Values," "0 Principles," "0 Empathy," and "1 Bow Down to #China."

"Congratulations to @KingJames," Freedom wrote.

"People get mad when I speak the truth because I'm the only athlete who actually speaks the truth," he wrote in another post. "I don't care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money. You can NOT buy me #CCP! Don't expect me to respect you or your game when your shoes are literally made by SLAVE KIDS."

 
\u201cPeople get mad when I speak the truth because I\u2019m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth.\nI don\u2019t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money.\n\nYou can NOT buy me #CCP!\n\nDon\u2019t expect me to respect you or your game when your shoes are literally made by SLAVE KIDS\u201d
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1675869415 
 

Freedom is a staunch critic of human rights abuses around the globe, including those perpretuated in China. He has described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "brutal dictator."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy invited Freedom to the State of the Union address as a guest.

"@EnesFreedom loves the USA. He understands freedom. And he is willing to sacrifice his job in order to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party. I was proud to have him as one of my guests for State of the Union," McCarthy tweeted.

Freedom expressed his gratitude for McCarthy's "friendship, leadership and support."

 
\u201cI\u2019m deeply honored and humbled to attend the State of the Union address as @SpeakerMcCarthy\u2019s guest.\n\nI appreciate your friendship, leadership and support.\u201d
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1675732846 
 

Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who invited an "abortion rights activist" to the speech as a guest, wore an "ABORTION" pin with a heart-shaped cutout to the State of the Union address.

Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania also posted a photo of herself wearing the "ABORTION" pin. She invited an "abortion patient advocate" as a guest for the address.

 
\u201cI say the word, I wear the word.\n\nAbortion care is health care.\n\nAbortion care saves lives.\u201d
— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@Congresswoman Madeleine Dean) 1675802099 
 

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NBA announces that it won't hold any games on Election Day



The NBA will not have any basketball games on Election Day in November when Americans head to the polls around the country to participate in the midterm election contest.

"The NBA today announced that no games will be played on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022," the NBA tweeted. "The scheduling decision came out of the NBA family’s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement and encouraging fans to make a plan to vote during midterm elections."

 
\u201cThe NBA today announced that no games will be played on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. \n\nThe scheduling decision came out of the NBA family\u2019s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement and encouraging fans to make a plan to vote during midterm elections.\u201d
— NBA Communications (@NBA Communications) 1660659940 
 

NBC News reported that the NBA's 30 teams will play on the day prior to the election with every home team holding an election-related themed fan night.

Former Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom has expressed support for the move, but claimed "that the #NBA subliminally encourages players to vote for a certain party. I had coaches lose their jobs over expressing conservative values, players & staffers who had to hide who they support & vote for or they will get hated on the rest of the season," Freedom tweeted. "Additionally, the [NBA's] biggest backer is #China so when they promote Civic Engagement here, Do they care to comment on a dictatorship they are profiting off of?" he wrote.

 
\u201cThe issue though is, that the #NBA subliminally encourages players to vote for a certain party.\n\nI had coaches lose their jobs over expressing conservative values,\nplayers & staffers who had to hide who they support & vote for or they will get hated on the rest of the season.\u201d
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1660679895 
 

Freedom has been outspoken against human rights abuses in China — last year he decried Chinese President Xi Jinping as the "heartless dictator of China."

Democrats currently control both chambers of Congress and will be hoping to maintain their power during the 2022 midterms. The party holds the majority in the House of Representatives. The Senate is currently comprised of 48 Democrats, two independents who caucus with the Democrats, and 50 Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote.

Leaked audio exposes top NBA execs kowtowing to China, Enes Kanter Freedom declares: 'Evidence of how a 100% American-made company is run by the Chinese dictatorship'



Enes Kanter Freedom bashed the NBA for kowtowing to China once again. The outspoken human rights activist and basketball player claimed that newly-leaked audio of top NBA executives warning him not to offend China was "evidence" that the league is "run by the Chinese dictatorship."

"Tucker Carlson Tonight" aired leaked audio of NBA officials attempting to persuade Freedom to stop protesting the Chinese Communist Party during games.

National Basketball Players Association lawyer Ron Klempner is heard saying, "I got off the phone with the general counsel of the NBA, and he wants to now have a conversation about, their concern right now is not so much what you are saying off the court, but what it is you are saying on the court when you step onto the court."

In a November game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Freedom wore sneakers that depicted LeBron James bowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who places a crown on James' head with bags of money surrounding the pair. There is also a mask painted with the flag of East Turkestan – home of the Uyghurs – and a hand with the Chinese flag on it covering the mouth.

 
\u201cMoney over Morals for the \u201cKing\u201d \ud83d\udc51 \n\nSad & disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice\n\nThey really do \u201cshut up & dribble\u201d when Big Boss \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf3 says so\n\nDid you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research?\u201d
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1637255348 
 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is heard saying, "You're not breaking any rule in terms of the shoes."

"There's no rule you're violating now, to me, you know," Silver said. "I think it's also... look, at the end of the day, we're also a business."

Wall Street hedge-fund billionaire, big-time Hillary Clinton financial supporter, and Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry says kowtowing to China's demands is "business."

"China's taken a very aggressive stance, which is, 'Hey if you want to b***h about us, you're out.' Right? Which is – I get it," Lasry said. "It's business. So, their view is you wanna be in our country and do things. If you want to complain about us, you’re not allowed. So what happens for the NBA is the NBA's in a box.”

Freedom reacted to the leaked audio by the NBA execs.

"This is the evidence of how a 100% American-made company is run by the Chinese dictatorship," Freedom told host Tucker Carlson. "And wake up America. This is the league that you have been supporting and watching. Enough is enough. And this is unacceptable."

"It's just sad to see how these people still can lie to American people," Freedom said of NBA officials. "How can they bow down to this dictatorship?"

"They care about social justice until it affects their money and business," he continued. "The NBA pretends to care about social justice in America, but when that affects their business – they're silent."

Freedom proclaimed, "They are mad because finally, someone from the inside – I played 11 years in this league – I've finally exposed them, and I'm saying it again, 'Enough is enough.'"

Freedom claimed that the NBA is trying to force him to retire, but he is not ready.

Freedom started last season playing for the Boston Celtics before being traded to the Houston Rockets. He was immediately cut by the Rockets. Freedom believes that the NBA is trying to silence him.

He said that he plans to continue to play in the NBA and to keep exposing the league's relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

  Enes Kanter Freedom responds to audio of NBA officials appearing to admit Chinese influence www.youtube.com 

Enes Kanter Freedom will speak at CPAC: 'I do NOT care about politics. The only thing I care about is Human rights, Freedom and being the voice for the voiceless'



Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom is slated to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) later this month in Orlando, Florida.

CPAC will feature remarks by individuals including former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Glenn Beck, and others.

"The world needs to understand! I do NOT care about politics. The only thing I care about is Human rights, Freedom and being the voice for the voiceless," Freedom tweeted on Monday. "The question people should ask themselves is; Despite our differences, what can we do to make this world better, TOGETHER?"

 
The world needs to understand!\n\nI do NOT care about politics.\nThe only thing I care about is Human rights, Freedom and being the voice for the voiceless.\n\nThe question people should ask themselves is;\n\nDespite our differences, what can we do to make this world better, TOGETHER?
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1644267807 
 

The basketball player, who became a U.S. citizen and added "Freedom" to his name last year, has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and a fierce critic of China and Turkey.

"Heartless Dictator of China, XI JINPING and the Communist Party of China. I am calling you out in front of the whole world. Close down the SLAVE labor camps and free the UYGHUR people! Stop the GENOCIDE, now!" the NBA player declared last year.

 
Heartless Dictator of China,\nXI JINPING and the Communist Party of China.\n\nI am calling you out in front of the whole world.\nClose down the SLAVE labor camps and free the UYGHUR people!\n\nStop the GENOCIDE, now!\n\n#FreeUyghurspic.twitter.com/eEoiw5Uz2K
— Enes FREEDOM (@Enes FREEDOM) 1634918907 
 

While the U.S. announced in December that it would engage in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, Freedom has said that the move did not go far enough.

"With all the human rights abuses from China,we only countered with a diplomatic boycott?" he tweeted. "How many people need to be tortured & raped for U.S to do something more serious?"

During an interview on Fox News last month, Freedom said he thought athletes should declare that they will not go to a nation where a genocide is occurring.

NBA player rips Warriors co-owner for brushing off China's oppression of Uyghurs: 'When genocides happen, it is people like this that let it happen'



It's quite a thing for most Americans, many of who take their extensive freedoms for granted — even as woke politicians and violent leftists have been working hard to snuff them out — to witness someone from another country come to the United States and fall in love with it.

Readers of TheBlaze ought to be familiar with Enes Kanter of the NBA's Boston Celtics. So enamored with the freedoms afforded to U.S. citizens, the center from Turkey became an American citizen himself and even decided to officially change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom to mark the occasion.

And he'd been exercising our First Amendment rights long before that momentous day, boldly speaking out against NBA icons like LeBron James for cozying up to China and ignoring the communist nation's human rights abuses of Uyghurs.

But Freedom hasn't stopped yet.

What now?

Upon hearing the news that Chamath Palihapitiya — an executive and part owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors — said "nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs," Freedom took aim Monday at Palihapitiya on Twitter:

 
When @NBA says we stand for justice, don\u2019t forget there are those who sell their soul for money & business like @chamath the owner of @warriors,\nwho says \u201cNobody cares about what\u2019s happening to the Uyghurs\u201d\n\nWhen genocides happen, it is people\nlike this that let it happen\n\nShame!pic.twitter.com/27j2GxGhCU
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@Enes Kanter FREEDOM) 1642439640 
 

"When @NBAsays we stand for justice, don’t forget there are those who sell their soul for money & business like [Palihapitiya] the owner of @warriors, who says 'nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs.' When genocides happen, it is people like this that let it happen," he posted. "Shame!"

Freedom added in a subsequent tweet that Palihapitiya's "disgusting" comments are "against everything the @nbastands for; I want the #NBA commissioner Adam Silver & @warriors board members to step in and push him to [sell] his shares."

During an "All-In" podcast, Palihapitiya declared, "Of all the things that I care about, yes, [oppression of the Uyghurs] is below my line, OK? ... It is below my line." He soon added that "a segment of a class of people in another country ... is not a priority for me."

How did folks react to the NBA player's stance?

It appears some folks are standing with Freedom's tweet:

  • "Stand against genocide," LifeNews.com replied. "Boycott the Beijing Olympics!"
  • "Embarrassing for the @NBA, especially coming to light on MLK Day," another commenter said. "You would think human rights would be something we all care about."
  • "[Palihapitiya] is a disgusting excuse of a human being to say he doesn't care [about the] Uyghur genocide & [is] standing by the CCP," ," another user noted. "Money, power & greed are the path to hell. Any supporter of @warriors need to denounce him."

But others weren't buying it:

  • "@EnesFreedom, keyboard warriors don’t stop genocides," another commenter said. "What are you doing for the cause? I don’t expect to get a response."
  • "Mr. Freedom you do realize that just because you photoshopped the Nike check off your jersey in your Twitter profile it's still a Nike jersey," another user said. "But I don't blame you for not leaving the league; it's a lot easier just to photoshop the Nike check off the jersey."
  • Another commenter wrote, "To be honest, at least [Palihapitiya is] honest about it and his comment is eye opening. Yes! The west has done nothing for the Uyghurs. All they did was talk talk and made little of it. You know why? Because they simply don’t care, and it is below the line for them! BTW, I am an Uyghur."

Outspoken China critic Enes Kanter Freedom blasts former NBA player Jeremy Lin: 'Shame on you'



Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom, an outspoken critic of China, blasted former NBA player Jeremy Lin in a tweet on Sunday.

Lin, who played in the NBA earlier in his career, also played for the Chinese Basketball Association's Beijing Ducks in the 2019-2020 season, according to USA Today. He went on to play in the NBA's G League, but later announced that he was going back to the Beijing Ducks.

Lin was born in the U.S. to Taiwanese immigrants.

"Shame on you @JLin7," Freedom tweeted. "Haven’t you had enough of that Dirty Chinese Communist Party money feeding you to stay silent? How disgusting of you to turn your back against your country & your people. Stand with Taiwan! Stop bowing to money & the Dictatorship. Morals over Money brother."

 
Shame on you @JLin7\n\nHaven\u2019t you had enough of that Dirty Chinese Communist Party money feeding you to stay silent?\n\nHow disgusting of you to turn your back against your country & your people.\n\nStand with Taiwan!\nStop bowing to money & the Dictatorship.\n\nMorals over Money brother
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@Enes Kanter FREEDOM) 1638720401 
 

Enes Kanter Freedom, who recently added "Freedom" to his name and was sworn in as a U.S. citizen, has decried Chinese human rights abuses against the Uighurs, and called for the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese President Xi Jinping to shut down the slave labor camps and set the people free.

"Stop the genocide now," Freedom said in a video earlier this year.

He described the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics as "Good but NOT enough."

"How many people need to be tortured & raped for U.S to do something more serious?" he asked in a tweet.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the diplomatic boycott from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympicson Monday, noting that the move was being made due to China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and other human rights abuses."

Some lawmakers said that the Biden administration's move did not go far enough.

"The President has once again opted for a half measure, when bold leadership was required," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said in a statement. "The United States should fully boycott the Genocide Games in Beijing. American businesses should not financially support the Chinese Communist Party and we must not expose Team USA to the dangers of a repugnant authoritarian regime that disappears its own athletes."