Enes Freedom entered the league as a top-3 pick with high hopes. However, the Turkish big man could never meet the expectations. He was a defensive liability, and his limited offensive repertoire made him a one-dimensional player.
Freedom’s ability to grab offensive rebounds still granted him a spot in the league for years to come. He was a serviceable backup in his finest years and a guy who often made the headlines for his trash-talking rather than his actual play.
He decided to take things up a notch towards the latest stages of his career. He had always been vocal about his despise for Turkish presidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan and suffered multiple death threats, so he became an American citizen.
Enes Freedom Claims The NBA ‘Pushed Him’ To Retire
Freedom made the most of his platform to continue calling Erdoğan out as well as the Chinese government. His playing time was going downhill, and he was eventually cut, so he now wants to make it seem like the league is forcing him to retire:
“They’re pushing me to retire at the age of 30,” Freedom told TMZ Sports. “When you talk about some of the uncomfortable situations are happening around the world, and when your organization that you play for 11 years got tied up with billions of dollars with dictatorship, it’s tough. I’m going to push through it. I’m still working out. I’m still practicing.”
“The NBA and Adam Silver is definitely one of the most hypocritical organizations and one of the most hypocritical commissioners out there in the world,” Freedom sentenced. “They stand up for things until it affects their money or business. Someone had to expose them and someone finally exposed them.”
Freedom isn’t the first to point out the league’s double standards about China and other delicate topics. But he was averaging 3.7 points and made one start in 35 games before he made those statements.
The Boston Celtics were 1.2 points worst offensively and 0.2 points worst defensively with him on the court. He gave them no defense, zero mobility, and didn’t have the shooting range to at least help them stretch the floor.
So, don’t get me wrong here. I will always root for those who stand up for what they believe in, and I do believe that Freedom is doing noble work. But he’s more known for his political views than his game and his days in the NBA were over long before he called out LeBron James.
