Does China Control The NBA? | Enes Kanter Freedom #453 | The Way I Heard It
Enes Kanter Freedom: Sacrificing an NBA Career for Human Rights Advocacy
Discover the immense personal and financial sacrifices Enes Kanter Freedom made by using his NBA platform to expose human rights abuses in Turkey and China. This conversation details the specific acts of protest that led to his professional exile and ongoing security risks.
Short Summary
- Kanter was ostracized by the NBA after turning his basketball shoes into political billboards against China.
- His family in Turkey faced severe persecution—including job loss and threats—following his initial criticism of Turkish leadership.
- His activism included explicitly calling out major figures like LeBron James for prioritizing business over morality.
- He transformed from a youth indoctrinated against America and Judaism to an advocate for global empathy and freedom.
This interview outlines Enes Kanter Freedom’s journey from a confusing, hate-filled childhood in Turkey to facing international espionage threats in America. Readers gain insight into the specific, escalating forms of protest—from tweets to sneaker slogans—that cost him his multi-million dollar NBA career and forced him to live under security protection. This narrative serves as a stark contrast to athletes who remain silent for financial gain.
Unlock all features
FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.
Unlock all features
FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.
Unlock all features
FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.
Unlock all features
FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.
Unlock all features
FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.
Related videos
The Hidden Crisis That Could Change Everything | Michael Cadenazzi From #476 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
72.0k views
Adam Carolla Predicted This After The Fires…He Was Right | #477 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
121.1k views
I Tried AI for Fun. Now I’ve Got Questions | Jeff Childers From #474 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
15.9k views
We Didn't Plan This...Then Christmas Happened | Theo Von From #449 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
30.2k views
Behind The Film: An Inconvenient Study | Del Bigtree #462 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
26.7k views
When Can We NOT Be Skeptical? | Gavin de Becker Pt. 2 #456 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
36.7k views
Why Are There Condoms In Women's Prisons? | Amie Ichikawa #454 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
102.2k views
Enough Of This Crap! | Payton McNabb #452 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
273.1k views
This Is How We CHANGE Education Today | Meredith Olson #451 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
68.7k views
I Thought I Heard It All...Then Theo Von Showed Up | From #449 | The Way I Heard It
Mike Rowe
1.3m views
Top Comments (10)
What really gets me about this whole thing: the one little phrase from his mom…. ”don’t hate anyone until you meet them” wow. That woman changed history in that moment.
Mike, I've never commented to you before on one of your shows before. But i was so impressed by this young man I just had to. He's a great inspiration and a truly good man.
The fact that not one NBA athlete has joined with him, is the reason I stopped watching all pro ball sports 30 years ago.
Mike! What a call out! Thank you for being a outstanding citizen and as always, it seems like a Foreigner has to show America what true life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness truly is. Thank you for showing us the importance of freedom.
Love his heart and gentle soul. Praying for his family and for them to be reunited soon.
Thank you both for this interview. 👍👍
Wow what an amazing story. Thank you Mike for having this conversation with Enes Freedom. Inspirational!
You have to have the courage of your convictions to say it out loud. Well done young man you've done your family proud.
Was not aware of this story till now. Thank you Enes and Mike for bringing him on. On another note… chuck did you actually hold the note on subscribe the whole time or was that made possible with editing? Love it!
What a wonderful interview! It is not a political statement, it is a human rights issue ❤
Unlock the Data Inside
Turn Videos into Knowledge
- Get FREE 10/day: transcripts, summaries, chats
- Chat with videos, export text & PDF
- $1 free API credit for RAG, chatbots & research
Free forever plan • All features unlocked
Top Comments (10)
What really gets me about this whole thing: the one little phrase from his mom…. ”don’t hate anyone until you meet them” wow. That woman changed history in that moment.
Mike, I've never commented to you before on one of your shows before. But i was so impressed by this young man I just had to. He's a great inspiration and a truly good man.
The fact that not one NBA athlete has joined with him, is the reason I stopped watching all pro ball sports 30 years ago.
Mike! What a call out! Thank you for being a outstanding citizen and as always, it seems like a Foreigner has to show America what true life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness truly is. Thank you for showing us the importance of freedom.
Love his heart and gentle soul. Praying for his family and for them to be reunited soon.
Thank you both for this interview. 👍👍
Wow what an amazing story. Thank you Mike for having this conversation with Enes Freedom. Inspirational!
You have to have the courage of your convictions to say it out loud. Well done young man you've done your family proud.
Was not aware of this story till now. Thank you Enes and Mike for bringing him on. On another note… chuck did you actually hold the note on subscribe the whole time or was that made possible with editing? Love it!
What a wonderful interview! It is not a political statement, it is a human rights issue ❤