Enes Kanter Freedom
May 20, 1992 — Bursa, Turkey
Enes Kanter Freedom is a Turkish-American professional basketball player who became as well known for his outspoken human rights advocacy against the Turkish government as for his play in the NBA, changing his last name to "Freedom" upon becoming a U.S. citizen in 2021.
From Bursa to the NBA
Born on May 20, 1992 in Bursa, Turkey, Enes Kanter showed exceptional basketball ability as a teenager and moved to the United States to play one year at the University of Kentucky. He was selected with the third overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. A physical center with impressive offensive skills, he went on to play for multiple NBA teams including the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets. His best seasons showed him as a consistent double-double performer — points and rebounds — and a reliable scorer in the post. He played alongside stars including Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jayson Tatum during his NBA career.
Speaking Out and the Price of Advocacy
Kanter became an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan beginning around 2017, calling him a "dictator" and publicly supporting the exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen. The Turkish government responded by revoking his passport, issuing an international arrest warrant, and pressuring foreign governments to detain him. His father was arrested in Turkey and publicly disowned him on television under apparent government pressure. Several of his family members faced harassment and legal persecution. Kanter has said the Turkish government threatened his life. He wore shoes with human rights slogans on them during NBA games, drew attention to the persecution of Uyghurs in China — which caused his games to be pulled from Chinese broadcast — and made the Tibet issue a focus of his advocacy, criticizing businesses including Nike for their China relationships. His willingness to lose Chinese market value made him unusual among professional athletes for the consistency and specificity of his advocacy.
Did You Know?
When Kanter became a U.S. citizen on November 29, 2021, he legally changed his last name to "Freedom" in honor of the country he had adopted and the values he had centered his public advocacy around. The ceremony, attended by members of Congress who had supported his citizenship application, was widely covered and the name change was immediately adopted by his NBA uniform for the remainder of the season.
Political Life After Basketball
Freedom's NBA career ended after the 2021–22 season, with many observers suggesting his political advocacy made teams reluctant to sign him despite his remaining basketball ability. He has continued his advocacy work through various platforms, speaking at Congressional hearings about human rights in China and Turkey, engaging with Muslim rights groups, and exploring a potential political career in the United States. Whatever his future holds, his willingness to sacrifice professional opportunities for principles represents a rare quality in professional sports, where almost all athletes avoid political controversy that might cost them contracts or endorsements.