Former Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter Freedom testified at a Congressional hearing, alleging that he was prevented from playing in the NBA due to his outspoken criticism of China’s treatment of Tibetans and Uyghurs. During the hearing, Freedom revealed that he had written “Free Tibet” on his shoes prior to a game against the New York Knicks, following the example of NBA players who had worn shoes with political messages like “Black Lives Matter.”
However, team managers forbade Freedom from wearing the shoes, even threatening to ban him. Consequently, he remained on the sidelines for the first half of the game before retreating to the locker room to check his phone. Freedom stated, “He said every Celtics game is banned in China. It literally took them 24 minutes – first quarter 12 minutes, second quarter 12 minutes – to ban every Celtics game on television.”
Feeling pressured, Freedom made a promise to his managers that he would “never going to wear ‘Free Tibet’ shoes ever again.” In the subsequent game, he wore shoes that said “Free Uyghurs,” but one of his Celtics teammates warned him that it would likely be his final game in the NBA. As predicted, Freedom was released by the Celtics in February.
Freedom’s heightened awareness of China’s human rights situation began after encountering a young fan at a basketball camp. The parents of this fan criticized him for presenting himself as a human rights activist while Muslims were being subjected to daily “torture and rape” in China. Determined to respond, Freedom delved deeper into the issue.
New Jersey Republican Representative Chris Smith, chairperson of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, accused the NBA of sidelining Freedom due to his “commitment to speaking truth to power.” Smith condemned the league for its alleged willingness to comply with the demands of the Chinese Communist Party.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, in a previous interview with The New York Times, refuted claims that Freedom’s release from the Celtics was linked to the league’s business interests in China. Silver stated that they had spoken directly to Freedom regarding his activities in the previous season and emphasized that it was within his rights to express his opinions.
It is worth noting that the NBA reportedly holds approximately $5 billion in business interests in China. In 2019, Chinese broadcasters were instructed not to air any Houston Rockets’ NBA games after the team’s manager, Daryl Morey, expressed support for the Hong Kong protest movement through a tweet.
In conclusion, Enes Kanter Freedom’s testimony before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China shed light on his claims that he was barred from the NBA for openly criticizing China’s human rights abuses against Tibetans and Uyghurs. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the NBA’s business interests and its players’ freedom of expression on political matters.
About Post Author
