'I HAVE THE RECORDINGS': Enes Kanter Freedom threatens to expose NBA amid ongoing WNBA disputes

CALGARY — Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom is threatening to expose what he describes as ''hypocrisy" within the NBA, claiming he possesses recordings of conversations with league officials and Commissioner Adam Silver concerning his criticism of China.Speaking during a recent appearance on The Sage Steele Show, Freedom said he intends to turn his attention toward the NBA following his ongoing disputes with the WNBA over transgender athlete eligibility and his removal from a Finals game."People think what I'm doing with WNBA is a lot. Wait till what I'm going to do with NBA," Freedom told host Sage Steele.When asked what he intended to reveal, Freedom responded, "I'm just going to expose their hypocrisy." .The former Boston Celtics centre revisited an incident from October 2021, when he wore basketball shoes displaying a "Free Tibet" message during the Celtics' season opener against the New York Knicks.Freedom alleged that two NBA representatives approached him shortly before the game and demanded that he remove the shoes, which had attracted international attention.He said he refused, even after being warned that disciplinary action could follow."I wore Free Tibet shoes. Two minutes before the game, two gentlemen from the NBA came to me and said, take your shoes off," Freedom recalled.He claimed the officials then warned him that the consequences could extend beyond a financial penalty."They said, buddy, we're not talking about getting fined, we're talking about getting banned."Freedom said he subsequently contacted NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to discuss the situation and began documenting his interactions with league officials on the advice of his lawyer.According to Freedom, he possesses recordings of conversations involving Silver and other NBA figures that he believes support his allegations."I called Adam Silver. I have all the recordings," he said..Freedom alleged that Silver acknowledged the league's commercial interests in China during one of their conversations."He even admitted and said, 'Listen, it's a different system over there. At the end, we are a business,'" Freedom claimed.The former player also alleged that an unnamed NBA team owner warned him that continuing to criticize China could jeopardize his professional basketball career."If you say a word about China, you will be cut from the league and you're not going to be able to play basketball," Freedom recalled being told.He claimed to have recorded that conversation as well, suggesting he could release the audio if his account were publicly disputed.Freedom argued that the NBA has demonstrated inconsistent standards when addressing political expression, allowing players to criticize the United States while allegedly discouraging criticism of China."If they criticize America, if they talk about the things that are happening in this country, they're okay with it," Freedom said."But when it comes to China, they're like, 'No, no, no, no, no. Yeah. You can't say a word.' That's the hypocrisy.".Freedom's criticism of China became a major controversy during the 2021–22 NBA season, when he repeatedly used his platform to highlight human rights concerns involving Tibet and the Uyghur population.His activism attracted international attention, with Chinese streaming platform Tencent removing Boston Celtics games from its service following his statements.Freedom was subsequently traded to the Houston Rockets in February 2022 and waived shortly afterward. He has not played in the NBA since.He has repeatedly maintained that his criticism of China contributed to the end of his NBA career.However, Silver previously denied that Freedom had been blackballed, maintaining that NBA players were entitled to express their political views.Audio attributed to Silver discussing the controversy was also publicized in 2022, although it remains unclear whether Freedom possesses additional recordings that have not previously been released.Earlier this month, Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White challenged the league's eligibility policies by declaring themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft.The move prompted questions from Republican lawmakers, who sought clarification about whether the league would permit the two former male NBA players to compete.In an October 16 letter, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded that only women were eligible to compete in the league and identified both Freedom and White as men.Freedom subsequently criticized the league's response, questioning how officials determine an athlete's eligibility based on gender identity.The controversy escalated when Freedom attended Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in Atlanta and was informed that he could not sit in his originally purchased seats.Arena officials offered him alternative seating in a private luxury suite, but Freedom refused, insisting he should be permitted to remain in the seats he had purchased..His latest statements suggest he intends to broaden his criticism beyond the WNBA and revisit the circumstances surrounding his departure from professional basketball.Although Freedom claims to possess recordings involving NBA leadership and an unnamed team owner, he has not announced when or whether additional audio will be released.The recordings described in his latest interview have not been independently authenticated in full, and his allegations do not establish that the NBA formally threatened or banned him over his criticism of China.The NBA has not been shown to have issued a new public response specifically addressing Freedom's latest claims.

'I HAVE THE RECORDINGS': Enes Kanter Freedom threatens to expose NBA amid ongoing WNBA disputes

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