Former NBA athlete and human rights advocate Enes Kanter Freedom criticized the expanding popularity of democratic socialism within the United States during a television broadcast on July 2, 2026.
Appearing on Fox News' "The Story," the Turkish immigrant highlighted the historical failures of socialist regimes across multiple nations.
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Freedom emphasized the critical necessity of defending personal liberty and teaching younger generations about capitalism in America.
Personal History Informs Activism
Freedom's personal history informed his activism.
Growing up in Turkey, he faced strong anti-American sentiment from local politicians who frequently attacked the United States, Christianity, and Western culture.
At nine years old, neighborhood children handed Freedom an American flag alongside a lighter, instructing him to burn it.
Confused by the request, he sought guidance from his mother.
"I looked down and thought, 'This is not the right thing to do,'" recalled Freedom.
His mother instructed him not to harbor hatred toward anyone before meeting them personally.
Freedom eventually prioritized his education and basketball skills under his father's guidance, arriving in the United States at age 17 to attend high school in California before playing college basketball at Kentucky.
"They're telling me to hate America, hate the West, hate Christian people. What do I do?"
recalled Freedom.
The athlete subsequently became the third overall selection in the NBA Draft, gaining a prominent public platform.
His global human rights activism officially began in 2013 when corruption allegations emerged against the Turkish government.
