The center’s contract with the Houston Rockets was terminated in February. Ankara-born Kanter, who has held US citizenship since last year, has long denounced the league’s billion-euro deal with China and criticized the oppression and exploitation of the Uyghurs in the country.
Kanter also hands out against US sporting goods giant Nike. The company is “the biggest hypocrite company in the world” that talks “about justice” and “at the same time uses slave labor in China”.
Likewise, the athletes sponsored by Nike are “cowards and hypocrites”. Kanter sees the fact that he publicly criticizes China and the supplier Nike as the reason for his dismissal in the spring.
“A teammate came up to me in the dressing room and said, ‘You know this is going to be your last year in the NBA, right?’ The 30-year-old said.
Kanter wants to sue NBA and then to Europe
Nevertheless, he feels the support of many former teammates. Although many “not openly” supported him, other players contacted him privately and motivated him to continue.
Kanter, who, as a critic of Erdogan, is considered an enemy of the state in his home country and, according to his own statement, receives “hundreds of death threats a day”, has plans: “Now I’ll probably sue the NBA first because they expelled me just because I had my opinion said. And then I look at options in Europe.”
(SID)
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UPDATE 10/25/2022 AT 1:53 PM
