Enes Kanter Freedom Reveals Turkey Has $500k Bounty On His Head: ‘Doing Whatever They Can To Shut Me Up’

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Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom revealed that his home country’s government, Turkey, has placed a bounty on his head worth $500,000.

Kanter has been an outspoken critic of Turkey and China throughout the 11 seasons he played in the NBA and since. He’s called out the Turkish government for human rights violations and referred to Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a dictator.

In a new interview with Rikki Schlott of the New York Post, Kanter Freedom spoke about the dangerous bounty that labels him, and many others, “terrorists” in the country.

“I’m speaking out because I am not the only one on that list,” he told the Post. “There are so many journalists, so many activists, and so many athletes, but they aren’t as well-known as me. They are way easier targets — and they’re alone out there.”

“That makes it so scary,” he said. “Before the bounty, Turkish intelligence were after the people on the list, but now everyone is after them because they want the money.”

Kanter Freedom’s popularity in America and his outspokenness has angered government officials in Turkey.

“Because of my platform, whenever I say something, it goes everywhere, and the Turkish government hates that,” Kanter Freedom added. “They’re really sick of it, and they said ‘enough is enough’ and are doing whatever they can to shut me up.”

The former NBA player took steps to defend himself from those who are trying to cause harm to him. He also added that there are less popular people who have bounties out for them who are innocent like him.

“I’m being protected 24/7,” Kanter Freedom continued. “I’m speaking out because I am not the only one on that list. There are so many journalists, so many activists, and so many athletes, but aren’t as well-known as me. They are way easier targets, and they’re alone out there.”

Kanter Freedom told The Post that he is exploring the options of suing the NBA because he felt the league blackballed him after his criticism of the Chinese government.

“I’m waiting for the right time,” Kanter Freedom said.

According to ESPN, NBA China is worth up to five billion dollars. The NBA owns 90 percent of the entity, and ESPN also owns five percent of the shares. Several state-controlled banks own the other five percent.

“They are a 100% American made organization, but they are being controlled and run by the biggest dictatorship in the world, China,” Kanter Freedom added. “How can China fire an American citizen from an American organization? That is unacceptable.”

NBA spokesman Mike Bass said to The Post, “The league office has had no involvement in team roster decisions involving Mr. Freedom.”

Kanter Freedom became a U.S. citizen in 2021.