With the sudden dismissal of China basher Enes Kanter Freedom, the NBA has regained the seal of approval from its dictatorial communist masters. The pathetic league is now fully cleansed of anyone who would dare criticize its appalling silence over the human rights atrocities of its Chinese business partner. The Boston Celtics traded their backup center to Houston Thursday, and the Rockets immediately waived him.
The NBA had previously tried persuading Freedom to stop angering China with his Tweets and designer shoes – all calling out the evil regime for denying freedom to its citizens and enslaving Uyghurs. That didn’t work. Two representatives of the NBA approached Freedom on the Boston bench a few months ago, after he had started wearing “Free Tibet Shoes.” As he recalls:
They said, “We are begging you take those shoes off.” [He responded:] “Go tell your boss, whoever it is, [NBA Commissioner] Adam Silver, the Celtics owner, and whoever you’re talking to, I’m not taking my shoes off. I don’t care if I get banned or if I get fined.” That game was right before my citizenship test, and I was getting ready for it. There are 27 amendments, and my First Amendment (right) is freedom of speech. I didn’t want them to take that away from me.
Freedom played in just 35 of Boston’s 56 games this season, averaging 11 minutes and 3.7 points per game. It’s not like he doesn’t have “game,” as he grabbed 12 rebounds in what was likely his NBA career finale.
After joining the Celtics this season, Freedom launched an aggressive crusade against China for its oppression of Uyghurs, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Early in the season, the China tyrants refused to air the Celtics’ games on television, as a result. He also became a U.S. citizen and added the name “Freedom.”
Alejandro Avila, of the Outkick blog, speculated what everybody who’s paying attention to this story is thinking …
Freedom’s appearance on the court this season has been scarce, with some fans and supporters speculating that his anti-China messaging caught up to Enes and made him a liability due to the Association’s link with the Chinese market.
The NBA is a cowardly band of situational social justice warriors who refuse to speak up to China about its slave labor and freedom-killing totalitarianism. The league and these players are making millions of dollars off the backs of the oppressed people in China and are putting profits over principle. Freedom freely ripped them.
Houston was probably less likely to play Freedom than Boston because, in 2019, the Rockets’ general manager (Daryl Morey) tweeted support for freedom in Hong Kong. China then shut down all NBA broadcasts that season, and the league is fearful of similar reprisals if it angers its Asian overlords again.
Freedom has the proper perspective on what’s important in life. A week ago, he told the Voice Of America:
… But at the end of the day knowing that you’re doing this for innocent people will always give you extra hope and motivation. Everyone thinks I’m a basketball player. Yes, I am a basketball player, but I think what I’m doing is bigger than basketball.
Freedom is providing the voice of truth and calling out China, courageously standing alone on truth when the multitudes are kneeling on the wrong side of history. Among those cowardly appeasing China are LeBron James, Jeremy Lin, Michael Jordan, Golden State Warriors investor Chamath Palihapitiya, Nike and his home country of Turkey.
After he was waived, Freedom left this message on social media: “The world will be shocked.” Considering his courage and the NBA’s lack thereof, his release really isn’t shocking.
