Turkish basketball player
Born on May 20, 1992
Enes Freedom is a Turkish-American former professional basketball player, activist, and human rights advocate known for his outspoken political views and NBA career. Born Enes Kanter on May 20, 1992, in Zurich, Switzerland, he was raised in Turkey and became one of the country’s top young basketball prospects. He moved to the United States to pursue basketball and briefly attended the University of Kentucky before declaring for the 2011 NBA Draft.
Freedom was selected third overall by the Utah Jazz in 2011 and later played for teams including the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Boston Celtics. Standing 6-foot-10, he earned recognition for his strong rebounding, scoring in the paint, and energetic style of play. Throughout his NBA career, he was considered one of the league’s most reliable offensive rebounders.
In 2021, he legally changed his name to Enes Freedom as a statement supporting liberty and human rights. He became widely known for criticizing the Turkish government and advocating for democracy, freedom of speech, and social justice causes worldwide. His activism has made him a prominent public figure beyond basketball, often speaking on international human rights issues and political oppression.
Enes Freedom’s 5 most popular quotes
- Our team security said, even if you go to a supermarket, have someone with you. So everywhere I go – grocery shopping, practice, go to games, go to plays – I always have someone with me because you never know, a lone wolf, one of the crazy Erdogan supporters will do something.
- Basketball is my escape, and I cannot bring any of my problems onto the court.
- Because the last time I saw my family was 2015. Sometimes I even forget what they look like, you know? It’s so hard to communicate with them. Because Turkish police raided my house. They took electronics away, computers away. They wanted to see if I’m still in contact with my family or not. Any single text, they will all be in jail.
- When I say all of this stuff about Turkey, people don’t understand. They think I don’t like Turkey. I love Turkey. I love my people. I love Turkish food and everything. But my problem is with the government.
- I receive many death threats. I used to love walking around New York City alone, but I can’t do that anymore.
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