Enes Kanter Freedom has warned the NBA that he plans to expose what he describes as the league’s hypocrisy over China, alleging that league officials threatened him with a ban after he wore shoes supporting Tibet.
Speaking to Sage Steele on The Sage Steele Show, the former NBA center said his plans to challenge the league would go beyond his recent activity involving the WNBA.
“People think what I’m doing with WNBA is a lot. Wait till what I’m going to do with NBA,” Kanter Freedom said when asked about his intentions toward the league and commissioner Adam Silver.
Asked what he intended to expose, Kanter Freedom pointed to his experience wearing “Free Tibet” shoes before a game. He said two NBA representatives approached him shortly before tipoff and told him to remove the shoes.
“I turned around, I’m like, ‘I’m not gonna take them off.’ Even if I get fined, I’m not going to do it,” he recalled.
According to Kanter Freedom, the officials warned him that the consequences could extend beyond a financial penalty.
“They said, buddy, we’re not talking about getting fined. We’re talking about getting banned,” he said.
Kanter Freedom also claimed he contacted Silver directly and has recordings of their conversations. He said the commissioner acknowledged the difference between operating in China and the United States, explaining, according to Kanter Freedom, that “at the end, we are a business.”
The former player also described a conversation with an NBA team owner who allegedly warned him that speaking publicly about China could cost him his place in the league.
“If you say a word about China, you will be cut from the league and you’re not going to be able to play basketball,” Kanter Freedom recalled the owner telling him.
He contrasted what he described as the NBA’s tolerance for criticism of the United States with its alleged restrictions on comments about China, calling that difference the league’s hypocrisy.
The claims form part of Kanter Freedom’s broader criticism of the NBA’s business relationship with China. He previously drew attention in 2021 by wearing shoes carrying messages supporting Tibet and Uyghurs, prompting debate about the league’s response to political expression.
