Just 24 hours before being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Houston Rockets and released from the roster, NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom tells Margaret Hoover he suspects the league is trying to silence him for speaking out against human rights abuses in China.
A newly naturalized American citizen, Kanter Freedom has been increasingly vocal about the oppression of his fellow Muslims in the Xinjiang province of China and the failure of the NBA and its corporate sponsors to use their influence to combat what the U.S. government has declared a genocide.
Kanter Freedom, who grew up in Turkey, details his initial activism against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and how it impacted his family who remain there and left him fearful of arrest if he ever returns. He recalls how he learned of the plight of the Uyghurs, explains why he felt it was important for him to speak out on their behalf, and defends his call for athletes to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
He also reflects on his public tensions with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, his clash with Nike, and the possibility that this season could be his “farewell tour” in the NBA.
Support for “Firing Line for Margaret Hoover” is provided by Stephens Inc., Robert Granieri, Charles R. Schwab, The Fairweather Foundation, Asness Family Foundation, Pfizer Inc., Craig Newmark Philanthropies,  The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, and Damon Button.