Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom wants a sit-down with four-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Freedom, who previously went by Enes Kanter until changing his name when he became a U.S. citizen Monday, recognized the discussion might not be an easy one.
“Sure, I’d love to sit down and talk to him,” Freedom said. “I’m sure it’s going to be a very uncomfortable conversation for him. I don’t know if he’s gonna want that. I’ll make that really comfortable for him.”
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Freedom has been hypercritical over the “King’s” supposed hypocrisy regarding human rights abuses in communist China and said he wants to open James’s eyes.
“I don’t know if he’s educated enough, but I’m here to educate him, and I’m here to help him because it’s not about money,” Freedom said. “It’s about morals, principles, and values. It’s about what you stand for. There are way bigger things than money.”
Freedom, born in Switzerland but spent his formative years in Turkey, began his criticism of James in a mid-November social media post that called out the Lakers star and Nike for not speaking out on the abuses committed in China.
“Sad & disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice,” he wrote in the post. “They really do ‘shut up & dribble’ when Big Boss says so.”
When asked about the criticism, James did not give the sentiment much of his time or energy.
“I don’t give too many people my energy,” he said. “He’s definitely not someone I would give my energy to. He’s trying to use my name to create an opportunity for himself. I definitely won’t comment too much on that.”
Freedom should have acted like a “man” and spoken to him when the two met on the court on Nov. 19, according to James.
“He’s always had a word or two to say in my direction, and as a man, if you’ve got an issue with somebody, you really come up to him,” James said. “He had his opportunity tonight. I saw him in the hallway, and he walked right by me.”
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Freedom disputed the allegation he failed to confront James and will get a second chance to do so on Tuesday when the Lakers and Celtics meet in Los Angeles.
