Enes Kanter Freedom says he plans to run for office

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who has become popular in Republican circles and frequently appears on conservative TV shows, says he is considering running for office.

“I actually do, yes,” Kanter Freedom said on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” when asked if he had interest in running for office. “I would actually, when the time is right.”

Kanter Freedom, who grew up in Turkey, has been an outspoken critic of the Turkish and Chinese governments. In particular, he has blasted the NBA for its relationship with China given the country’s detainment and abuse of millions of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, which the Biden administration has declared a genocide.

Kanter Freedom also took aim at basketball icon LeBron James, who recently broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record. He accused James of standing up against injustices in the U.S. but not in China because “the things that he talks about in America is not going to affect his money or business.”

“It’s not going to affect his jersey sales or shoe sales, whatever,” Kanter Freedom said. 

Kanter Freedom attended lunches with Senate Republicans and the House Republican Study Committee last year, and was also set to be a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Coalition conference before later canceling on the event.

He said he has not started fundraising for a possible campaign yet, but he has discussed the possibility with people close to him and lawmakers. 

“I haven’t started yet,” Kanter Freedom said. “But I started to have conversations with some of my friends and members of Congress.”