NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has called out Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James over his remarks on the ongoing detainment of WNBA star Brittney Griner and the way the U.S. has addressed the issue.
In response to a James tweet clarifying comments from a previous interview, Kanter told the four-time NBA MVP he was “free to leave” the country.
“You call it a step back, we call this a walk back,” Freedom wrote in a tweet on Tuesday. “You are free to leave buddy or you can even volunteer for an exchange for her.”
Freedom, who played last season for the Boston Celtics, added that: “Some people literally have NO idea what is it like to live in a dictatorship. Keep taking your freedom for granted.”
Freedom’s response was to a James’ tweet where he clarified remarks he made on his television show “The Shop: Uninterrupted” in which he suggested that Griner has every right to be upset at her country for not securing her return.
Griner, who plays professionally for the WNBA’s Pheonix Mercury, has been detained in Russia since February on charges of possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.
Griner, who plead guilty to drug possession charges last week, could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Vice President Harris, who had spoken with Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, said on CBS News last week that bringing Griner home remains on the administration’s “highest priority list.”
“My comments on ‘The Shop’ regarding Brittney Griner wasn’t knocking our beautiful country,” James wrote in a tweet on Tuesday, adding “I was simply saying how she’s probably feeling emotionally along with so many other emotions, thoughts, etc inside that cage she’s been in for over 100+ days! Long story short #BringHerHome.”
Freedom, who has gained attention for being a prominent critic of the Chinese government and the government of his native Turkey, has had a war of words with James in the past.
Freedom, who was slated to be a speaker at the CPAC convention earlier this year, called out James and fellow other notable including Basketball icon Michael Jordan and Asian-descent NBA player Jeremy Lin for remaining quiet on China’s human rights issues concerning the Uyghur people.
James said in a postgame interview last November that he’s not going to waste his “energy” on Kanter.
“I think if you know me, you know I don’t give too many people my energy,” James said. “He’s definitely not someone I would give my energy to. He’s trying to use my name to create an opportunity for himself. I definitely won’t comment too much on that.”