Enes Kanter Freedom: I can’t believe LeBron said this about Brittney Griner
Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom on LeBron James walking back comments on the U.S. effort to free Brittney Griner.
Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom said on Friday that he couldn’t believe LeBron James said Brittney Griner should reconsider coming back to the U.S. after being detained in Russia for over 100 days.
"It just makes me really sad and breaks my heart when people take their freedom for granted. So that's why I was like, I was very confused," Kanter Freedom told "America’s Newsroom" host Bill Hemmer.
James was heard in the trailer of his HBO show "The Shop" questioning whether the U.S. has the detained WNBA superstar’s back and floated the possibility that if he was in her situation he would be wondering whether he would even want to go back to the States.
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Enes Kanter #00 of the New York Knicks exchange words in the first half at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2017 in New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)
James tried to clarify by saying his remarks were not meant to be a knock on "our beautiful country." Kanter Freedom was not buying it.
"You call it a step back, we call this a walk back," he tweeted.
"You are free to leave buddy or you can even volunteer for an exchange for her.
"Some people literally have NO idea what is it like to live in a dictatorship.
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Kanter said he was "shocked" by James’ comments because Griner is facing 10 years in Russian prison.
"That was just so, so stupid to say, so I just couldn't believe it."
Kanter Freedom has been an outspoken voice on global issues, particularly aimed at Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who put out a warrant for his arrest over the free-agent NBA player’s ties to Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen.
Kanter Freedom also has been outspoken about China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims, and has particularly been critical of James and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for not doing enough to raise the curtain on the issue.
Kanter Freedom has accused the NBA of blackballing him for being outspoken on global issues — a notion Silver denied.
Kanter Freedom played in 35 games for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 season. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in February and waived later that month. He has not played since.
Fox News contributor Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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