Enes Kanter on Activism: Human Rights ‘Way More Important than Any Deal that You Can Offer Me’

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter on Tuesday sounded off on his outspokenness against China and its communist leadership’s “long list of human rights atrocities.”

Kanter has called out the likes of President Joe Biden, Nike, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan for not holding the Asian superpower accountable.

The Celtics big man emphasized on CNN’s “New Day” that he wasn’t afraid to call someone out for abusing human rights. He said fighting for morals and principles, even if it were to hurt his NBA career, was “way more important than any deal” he could be offered.

“I mean, you know, to me, it doesn’t matter who you are,” Kanter outlined. “It doesn’t matter you are the biggest star or this and that. If you are doing something wrong, I’m going to call you out. And it doesn’t matter you’re in the NBA, you’re the biggest superstar, or you’re this and that. To me, you know, at the end, we’re all human. And if I see as someone’s rights are getting abused, I’m going to use my platform to help those people. So, to me, it is important, because my whole life I never cared about, you know, money too much or endorsement deals too much.”

“To me, morals and principles [are] over money for sure,” he continued. “So, you know, it is a fight, but it is a good fight, and people do get uncomfortable. But someone had to do it. You know, you see so many actors, like John Cena, or so many athletes, so many singers and rappers are scared to say a word because they care too much about their deals or business going on with China. To me, human rights and people’s basic rights is way more important than any deal you can offer me.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent