Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA</a> player <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/charles-barkley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Barkley</a> made his opinion about politicians clear this week when discussing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ncaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA</a> President Charlie Baker’s suggestion that the association consults with politicians about name, image, and likeness guidelines. 
During an <a href="https://fox59.com/sports/sports-illustrated/b7f6835f/charles-barkley-slams-ncaa-presidents-idea-to-talk-to-politicians-about-nil/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview this week</a>, Baker said that he would be speaking to people “in Washington” about creating consumer protections for college athletes and their families as they navigate the name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, which allow athletes to profit off of their role as an athlete. 
&#8220;Did he say we&#8217;re going to ask the politicians to help us? See, that pisses me off already. Our politicians are awful people,” Barkley said in response to Baker’s comments during coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament. “We can&#8217;t ask these politicians nothing. Those people are awful people. Democrats and Republicans — they&#8217;re all crooks.&#8221;
Baker, who formerly served as the Republican governor of Massachusetts, said that he wants to “create transparency and accountability” around NIL “so that families actually know what they are getting into.”
To do this, he said the NCAA would be talking “with the folks in Washington,” saying that federally enforced guidelines would be a good way to ensure compliance in all 50 states, a task he said could be difficult without the federal government’s help.
Barkley, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, was not impressed, offering a different plan to regulate NIL deals. “I would actually go to people who actually care about basketball … I would put a committee together. I would love for Clark [Kellog] to be on the committee. Get some coaches, get some players, and let’s try to work this thing out,” he said. 
Barkley, long known for his frank speech, is a host for TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA,” a show he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charles-barkley-announces-hell-be-leaving-inside-the-nba-in-two-years-blames-jackaes-trying-to-get-you-canceled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a> he would be leaving because of his frustration with cancel culture. 
“It’s gotten so out of hand right now, I couldn’t imagine having to watch myself. You can’t even have fun nowadays without these jackasses trying to get you canceled and things like that,” he said in June 2021. 
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“All we ever talk about behind the scenes now is, ‘Yo man, be careful going in this direction.’ We can’t even have fun anymore,” Barkley added. “A lot of our bosses are cowards.”
Despite those comments, Barkley signed a major contract extension with TNT in October 2022.

Tennessee v Auburn

‘They’re All Crooks’: Charles Barkley Slams The Idea Of Getting Politicians Involved In College Sports

Charles Barkley

College sports

NCAA

Politics

Former NBA player-turned-human rights activist Enes Freedom said that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> is censoring information damaging to the Chinese state.
Freedom, who has played for several NBA teams including the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, said he downloaded the Chinese-owned video-sharing app and posted about China’s human rights abuses.
“I bought myself a second phone and downloaded Tiktok to start posting about China’s human rights abuses,” Freedom tweeted on Thursday. Freedom said he was quickly booted from the platform. He believes China’s government was behind the decision.
“It literally took the CCP one week to ban me permanently,” he wrote, adding, “TikTok is a Chinese Communist surveillance vehicle!”
“Stop stealing people’s information!” Freedom added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I bought myself a second phone and downloaded Tiktok to start posting about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a>’s human rights abuses.
It literally took the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CCP</a> one week to ban me permanently.
TikTok is a Chinese Communist surveillance vehicle! <a href="https://t.co/Wsk7HJo6fy">pic.twitter.com/Wsk7HJo6fy</a>
&mdash; Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1638920853709570048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Freedom shared what appear to be screenshots of his TikTok account after it was banned.
“Your account was permanently banned for violating our Community Guidelines. To appeal this decision, include a description of the issue below,” read TikTok’s message on Freedom’s account.
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TikTok appears to have reviewed and responded to Freedom’s appeal, according to another screenshot. TikTok’s message to Freedom says the account still violates TikTok’s guidelines and “cannot be restored.”
“You’ll no longer be able to log into TikTok with your account,” the message reads, according to a screenshot.
Freedom was born in Turkey and immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager. He became an American citizen in 2021 and legally changed his last name to Freedom in honor of the occasion.
In 2022, Freedom was cut by the Houston Rockets, effectively halting his NBA career. Freedom has <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/enes-freedom-criticizes-nba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he believes he was cut due to his outspoken criticism of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Because in recent months, I spoke out against what is happening in China,” Freedom said at the time. “Listen, the Chinese market is a significant part of the business in the NBA. So they will allow you to talk freely about what you want until it hurts their pocket. As soon as you do that, they will cut you. It is very sad and unacceptable.”
TikTok is currently under scrutiny from lawmakers in Washington over national security concerns related to how the company handles Americans’ data. 
The Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, sells the U.S. version of the app.
On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee and attempted to reassure lawmakers that there is no reason to ban TikTok. However, Chew did not answer directly when asked whether Chinese officials at ByteDance had helped him prepare for the congressional hearing.
Chew also said he opposes a forced sale of the U.S. TikTok app.
The tensions over TikTok have put the Chinese and U.S. governments at odds with each other. The Chinese government weighed in on Thursday, saying it will “firmly oppose” the sale of TikTok.
On Tuesday amid the scrutiny, TikTok updated its Community Guidelines to include new restrictions, around the topic of climate change and vaccines as well as restrictions on AI-generated images of young people and private figures.

Boston Celtics v Indiana Pacers

Ex-NBA Player Says TikTok Blocked Him For Posting About ‘China’s Human Rights Abuses’

Ex-NBA Player Says TikTok Blocked Him For Posting About 'China’s Human Rights Abuses'

Big Tech

China

TikTok

World

Willis Reed, the Hall of Fame New York Knicks center who won two titles with the team and immortalized himself by playing on an injured leg to lead the team to victory in the seventh game of the 1970 Finals, has died at 80.
Reed never played with another team, spending 1964-1974 with the Knicks. He was named the league’s MVP for the 1969-1970 season, and made the All-NBA team five times as well as making seven All-Star teams. He won the Finals MVP for both the Knicks&#8217; 1970 and 1972 title teams.
After scoring 37, 29, 38, and 23 points in the first four games of the 1970 Finals, Reed suffered a torn thigh muscle in the fifth game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Without Reed in the lineup, Lakers star Wilt Chamberlain ran amok in the sixth game, with a monstrous 45 points and 27 rebounds.
New York’s Bill Bradley admitted later of the seventh game, “We left the locker room for the warmups not knowing if Willis was going to come out or not.” But prior to the seventh game, Reed took painkiller injections in his thigh and limped onto the court for the start of the game, sending the crowd into a frenzy and the Lakers to stare at him during warm-ups.
“When I saw that,” Knicks guard Walt Frazier said, “something told me we might have these guys.”
One season-ticket holder who was at the game at Madison Square Garden <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHzxM69qm50" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a> years later, “All of a sudden this guy comes out — not limping, I’m talking about dragging his leg. All over the arena jaws were dropping. I’ve never heard that kind of roar, an uplift, in the Garden: ever.”
Reed’s teammate Dick Barnett said decades later, “I would love to say that was all contrived, okay, his late arrival. But he was receiving treatment.”
Reed hit two early jump shots, and although he was 6’10” and Chamberlain 7’1”, harassed Chamberlain into numerous missed shots during the first half. The Knicks wound up winning 113-99.
“The fans are saying: Everything’s all right: the Captain is here,” Reed smiled years later. “And I’m saying, boy, this is a hell of a predicament to be in. Here I am, a guy on one leg, gonna play the greatest scorer ever, big man, the only guy to ever score 100 points in a game, and I’m going to try to do it on one leg.”
“Willis put his whole career on the line for his team,” teammate Bill Bradley said simply.
Reed briefly coached the Knicks, then coached at Creighton University from 1981-85. He later coached the New Jersey Nets in 1988, then led the front office there.
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Willis Reed, Center, of the New York Knicks grimaces while waiting for the Boston Celtics to shoot free-throws during an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on November 8, 1973.

NBA Hall Of Famer Willis Reed, Who Displayed Legendary Heroics In 1970 Finals, Dead At 80

New York Knicks

Sports

U.S.

Willis Reed

Superstar and NBA legend Shaquille O&#8217;Neal definitely got everyone&#8217;s attention on Sunday when he tweeted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shaquille-oneal">51-year-old</a> NBA commentator didn’t explain much to his 15-million-plus followers what he was doing in a hospital room while hooked up to IVs.
He <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ/status/1637593805934284806?s=20">captioned his</a> post simply, &#8220;I&#8217;m always watching [TurnerSportsEJ] and [Candace_Parker ] miss y&#8217;all.&#8221; The post has since gone viral, with 8.3 million views and counting.
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i’m always watching <a href="https://twitter.com/TurnerSportsEJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TurnerSportsEJ</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Candace_Parker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Candace_Parker</a> miss y’all <a href="https://t.co/4tY4X6v1Pj">pic.twitter.com/4tY4X6v1Pj</a>
&mdash; SHAQ (@SHAQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ/status/1637593805934284806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Reading through the comments, fellow basketball players expressed their concern by tweeting messages like &#8220;[you] good &#8230;&#8221; and others asking &#8220;what the hell happened?&#8221;
Former professional basketball star Roy Hibbert tweeted, &#8220;[you] good, big man?&#8221;
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U good big man?
&mdash; Roy Hibbert (@Roy_Meets_World) <a href="https://twitter.com/Roy_Meets_World/status/1637597293959344128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Former NBA player and current sports analyst for Turner Sports Steve Smith wrote, &#8220;Get Well Big Fella.&#8221;
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Get Well Big Fella,,
&mdash; Steve Smith (@steve21smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/steve21smith/status/1637650064507129856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;What the hell happen to Shaq?&#8221; one person wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
what the hell happen to Shaq?
&mdash; JurgenVanDijk (@Justinrichsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Justinrichsmith/status/1637593926281359362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Another added, &#8220;Seriously though, hope everything is ok.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Seriously though, hope everything is ok. <a href="https://t.co/cxSuIHpiGn">pic.twitter.com/cxSuIHpiGn</a>
&mdash; bill (@billco13) <a href="https://twitter.com/billco13/status/1637594934050996225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Later, Awful Announcing&#8217;s Ken Fang shared that during the March Madness Tournament broadcast Shaq&#8217;s fellow analyst Ernie Johnson announced that the NBA legend was in the hospital having hip replacement surgery, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-sparks-concern-hospital-bed-photo">Fox News</a> reported.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
EJ said in the NCAA Tournament studio that Shaq is undergoing a hip replacement. <a href="https://t.co/2r4gTv4Jvz">https://t.co/2r4gTv4Jvz</a>
&mdash; Ken Fang &#8212; Very Asian (@fangsbites) <a href="https://twitter.com/fangsbites/status/1637672449880862722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/20/shaquille-oneal-on-the-mend-after-undergoing-hip-surgery/">TMZ</a> reported that sources told them that Shaq was in the hospital over the weekend to fix an issue with his hip and that everything had gone smoothly.
Last year, the NBA superstar talked about focusing on his health more and his efforts to slim down thanks to his &#8220;NBA on TNT&#8221; cohost, Charles Barkley, The <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/20/shaq-sparks-concern-with-hospital-photo/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow">New York Post</a> noted.
&#8220;I like to create crazy motivation,&#8221; O&#8217;Neal said during an appearance on Logan Paul&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39nHfUh2rQ">Impaulsive</a>&#8221; podcast. &#8220;I was looking at myself and I had that Charles Barkley retirement body.&#8221;
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t want my stomach to be over the belt anymore,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So I was just like, &#8216;Let me go ahead and get slim.&#8217; After that [picture] went viral, now I&#8217;ve got to live up to it.&#8221;
&#8220;I was 401 pounds. Now I&#8217;m 365,&#8221; Shaq continued. &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to take it back to 345. I want to have muscles everywhere, and I want to do an underwear ad with my sons [for] Fruit of the Loom, baby.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hilarious-viral-video-shows-nba-legend-being-launched-into-a-christmas-tree">Hilarious Viral Video Shows NBA Legend Being Launched Into A Christmas Tree</a>

Shaq-2

Shaq Tweets Out Photo Of Himself In Hospital Bed, Sparks Concern On Social Media

Celebrities

Entertainment

Shaquille O'Neal

Former Seattle Sonics star Shawn Kemp, nicknamed &#8220;Reign Man,&#8221; was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a drive-by shooting in the state.
&#8220;Shawn Kemp has been booked into Pierce County jail in connection with a drive-by shooting near the Tacoma Mall,&#8221; tweeted Seattle-based conservative radio host Jason Rantz, who broke the story.
&#8220;Tacoma PD reports: At 1:58 pm, an altercation between the occupants of 2 cars led to shots being fired at a parking lot in the 4500 blk of S. Steele St. One car fled. No injuries were reported,&#8221; Rantz added. &#8220;A gun was recovered.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tacoma PD reports: At 1:58 pm, an altercation between the occupants of 2 cars led to shots being fired at a parking lot in the 4500 blk of S. Steele St. One car fled. No injuries were reported. A gun was recovered.
&mdash; Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1633651587691450373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kemp was a first-round draft pick in the 1989 NBA draft.
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The 6-time NBA All-Star played in 625 games with the Seattle Sonics and helped the team reach the finals in 1996.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

Seattle Supersonics v Washington Bullets

Former NBA Star Arrested In Connection With Drive-By Shooting: Reports

Crime

Seattle

Washington

NBA analyst J.J. Redick got into a fiery exchange with ESPN colleague Kendrick Perkins Tuesday after Perkins implied that white players are favored over black players in the league&#8217;s MVP voting.
Perkins had <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/espn-nba-analyst-implies-mvp-voters-are-racist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initially accused</a> leading MVP candidate Nikola Jokić, an eight-year veteran who has already won the award twice, of “stat-padding,” then noted that since 1990, only Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Jokić — all of whom are white — had won the MVP without finishing in the top 10 in scoring.
“What do those guys have in common?&#8221; Perkins asked. &#8220;I’ll let it sit there and marinate. You think about it. When it comes down to moving the goalposts for certain individuals to win it, again, is it Oochie Wally? Or is it One Mic? What song are we actually dancing to right now, why is this subject not brought up?”
As Redick appeared on screen with &#8220;First Take&#8221; host Steven A. Smith and Perkins, he started by calmly praising Smith and calling it &#8220;an honor&#8221; to appear regularly on the show. Then he let loose.
“But what we’ve just witnessed is the problem with this show, where we create narratives that do not exist in reality,&#8221; said Redick, who is white and played in the NBA for 15 years. &#8220;The implication, what you are implying, that the white voters that vote on NBA are racist, that they favor white people.”
As Perkins, who is black and retired in 2018 after a 14-year career, appeared to protest, Redick cut him off.
“You just said that,” he shot back. “Yes, you did. Yes, you did. That is exactly what you implied, Kendrick Perkins. That is exactly what you implied. Secondly —&#8221;
“I cited the facts,” Perkins yelled. “I stated the facts and you —&#8221;
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“We all know what you implied the other day,” Redick charged. “We all know what you implied just now.”
“I stated it,” Perkins continued yelling. “It’s the facts. It’s the facts. It’s the facts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
JJ Redick condemns First Take and pushes back on Kendrick Perkins alleging NBA MVP voters have a racial bias against Black players: <a href="https://t.co/7pOMmGW4AH">pic.twitter.com/7pOMmGW4AH</a>
&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a href="https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1633135206382141443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The two appeared to cool down later in the show.
“I appreciate you for challenging me on this whole conversation because, guess what, it’s an uncomfortable conversation, but it was something that needed to be had,&#8221; Perkins said. &#8220;The simple fact is this, this is how a lot of former African American players have been feeling for decades now.”
Redick seemed to appreciate Perkins&#8217; gesture.
“I respect your experience. I respect every former player’s experience. I can’t speak on that. I understand what you’re saying,” Redick replied.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Here&#39;s the resolution <a href="https://t.co/ZZb4Du1MhH">pic.twitter.com/ZZb4Du1MhH</a>
&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a href="https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1633150788179488775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who won the league MVP award in the 1992-93 season, later took Perkins to task for claiming MVP voters were racist.
“That’s asinine and silly,” Barkley <a href="https://awfulannouncing.com/nba/charles-barkley-suggests-kendrick-perkins-espn-disease.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Altitude Sports Radio. “Asinine, silly, and stupid. Pick one of the words, whatever one you want.”
The voluble former basketball great said many personalities get what he called &#8220;ESPN disease&#8221; when they go on air and try to say something provocative. Barkley said the claim was especially unfair to Jokić, the Serbian-born center for the Denver Nuggets who is averaging 24.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 10 assists per game.
“And this is what bothers me also, man, race is such a touchy subject because very few people have a pure heart,&#8221; Barkley said. &#8220;We can talk about race as much as you want to as long as you’re going to be fair and honest. But to slander [Jokić] in this situation is just total BS.”

New York Knicks v Philadelphia 76ers

WATCH: ESPN’s Redick, Perkins Have Fiery Exchange Over Claim Racism Rules NBA’s MVP Vote

WATCH: ESPN's Redick, Perkins Have Fiery Exchange Over Claim Racism Rules NBA's MVP Vote

J.J. Redick

Racism

After ESPN NBA commentator Kendrick Perkins was harshly criticized for accusing Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic — who is white — of “stat-padding” in order to help himself average a triple-double, he doubled down by accusing MVP voters of being racist.
Perkins also <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/kendrick-perkins-nikola-jokic-mvp-17815878.php">tweeted a video</a> implying Jokic was winning MVPs only because he was white, then later deleted it. Jokic could become the fourth player ever to win the MVP award in three straight seasons, alongside Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird.
“I’m watching Jokic pass the ball, and I’m watching his guys catch and shoot, no hesitation, good or bad shot, and let me tell you one thing: Conversations goes [sic] on in that locker room, and players know what their stats are,” Perkins had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXrZ_hs78P0&amp;t=10s">initially charged</a>.
After Perkins made his initial comments disparaging Jokic, fellow NBA commentator J.J. Redick took him to task, saying, “I strongly disagree with this. Look, I’ve never been Nikola Jokic’s teammate. If you ask anyone that’s been around him &#8230; Nikola Jokic does not care about stats, does not care about averaging a triple-double. Nikola Jokic — I hate to tell everyone — doesn’t care about winning an MVP. He cares about winning a championship.”
“The idea that he’s stat-padding,” Redick continued, then quoted Jokic’s coach Mike Malone. “This is how he described the game,” Redick said. “This is how he described Nikola Jokic’s game: ‘He doesn’t fight the game; he just makes the right play every time.’ He compared his basketball IQ to LeBron.”
“This is not a guy who cares about stat-padding, Perk,” Redick asserted. “And the best argument I can make as to why this is such a ludicrous statement: They’re 23-0 when he has a triple-double. Going back to last year they’ve won 28 games in a row when he has a triple-double.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/jj_redick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jj_redick</a> STRONGLY disagrees with <a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KendrickPerkins</a> that Nikola Jokić is stat-padding 😳 <a href="https://t.co/yYrP4IWM5S">pic.twitter.com/yYrP4IWM5S</a>
&mdash; First Take (@FirstTake) <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstTake/status/1630612043207262211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Perkins then offered this in rebuttal: after noting that since 1990, only Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Jokic — all of whom are white — have won the MVP without finishing in the top 10 in scoring, Perkins raged, “What do those guys have in common? I’ll let it sit there and marinate. You think about it. When it comes down to moving the goalposts for certain individuals to win it, again, is it Oochie Wally? Or is it One Mic? What song are we actually dancing to right now, why is this subject not brought up?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KendrickPerkins</a> gives his rebuttal to the backlash from <a href="https://twitter.com/jj_redick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jj_redick</a> for his Nikola Jokić comments 🗣️ <a href="https://t.co/20R4K79SQP">pic.twitter.com/20R4K79SQP</a>
&mdash; First Take (@FirstTake) <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstTake/status/1630973057215889411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Nuggets currently lead the Western Conference as Jokic is averaging a triple-double. Only two men have ever averaged a triple-double over the course of an entire season: Russell Westbrook and the legendary Oscar Robertson.
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Kendrick Perkins

ESPN NBA Analyst Implies MVP Voters Are Racist

ESPN

Former NBA player and anti-CCP activist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/enes-kanter-freedom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enes Kanter Freedom</a> said during an interview Thursday that he plans to run for Congress one day.
Kanter Freedom told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that his passion is advocating for the &#8220;millions of people in concentration camps&#8221; in communist China who are &#8220;getting tortured and raped every day.&#8221;
When asked by Bartiromo if he had &#8220;any interest in running for public office,&#8221; Kanter Freedom responded, &#8220;I actually do. I actually do, yes.&#8221;
&#8220;I would actually when the time is right,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And shout out to, you know, whoever is out there listening. Yes, of course I would love to.&#8221;
When asked if he was in the process of making plans to run for office, Kanter Freedom responded, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;
When asked if he was starting to raise money, he responded, &#8220;Not yet. I haven&#8217;t started yet. But I started to have conversations with some of my friends and members of Congress.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Enes Kanter Freedom considers run for public office: &#039;When the time is right&#039;" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_sEKs98BdjM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>MARIA BARTIROMO, FBN ANCHOR: Well, that was U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price yesterday on the growing relationship and challenges between China and Russia for the United States. The president announced nearly $500 million in additional aid for Ukraine during his surprise visit to Kyiv on Monday.
Joining us right now to weigh in on the China threat is former NBA star, activist, Enes Kanter Freedom.
And, Enes, it&#8217;s great to have you.
ENES KANTER FREEDOM, FORMER NBA STAR: Thank you for having me. I appreciate that.
BARTIROMO: Thank you so much for being here.
You&#8217;ve been so incredibly courageous in calling out what you see as the China threat. Where do you see that today? What&#8217;s your biggest concern when it comes to China? And why did you put your whole career on the line to make sure to educate the world about it?
FREEDOM: Because, unfortunately, none of my colleagues was willing to go out there and speak the truth, you know, because while we are talking right now, there is a genocide happening. There are millions of people in concentration camps getting tortured and raped every day.
And whenever I had a conversation with one of my teammates and I was like, listen, just join me, we&#8217;ll create this big movement and we’ll talk about the human rights violations over there. Not anything political, but human rights violations. They said, we have shoe deals, we have endorsement deals, and we have jersey sales.
BARTIROMO: Unbelievable.
FREEDOM: I asked them one simple question. I was like, put yourself in their shoes. If your mother, if your sister, or if your daughter was in those concentration camps getting tortured and raped every day, would you still pick money and business over your morals, values, and principles? They’d usually turn around and leave the room.
BARTIROMO: You are a great man. I&#8217;ll tell you, Enes, that took such courage.
What I&#8217;m worried about, Mike Baker, is the fact that it’s not just the concentration camps and these women and girls getting raped, it’s also the way China behaves on the global stage to everybody else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
BARTIROMO: Look what they&#8217;re doing for America with the surveillance balloon, COVID-19 coverup. And look what just happened, Enes, the NBA announces a partnership with Chinese fin tech giant, Ant Group.
FREEDOM: I did hear that.
BARTIROMO: I should point out that the founder of Ant Group was disappeared by the CCP a year ago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
BARTIROMO: The NBA wants to work on producing video content with Ant Group making digital collectibles, Enes.
FREEDOM: I mean, it&#8217;s not a secret that NBA is pretty much China&#8217;s lap dog right now and they’re going to do whatever they can to, you know, strengthen their relationship with the &#8212; China and China&#8217;s governments. And they are going to talk about all the social justice problems that are happening in America because they know that it&#8217;s not going to hit their pocket. But as soon as the things that they — they talk about is going to affect their money and business or if anyone talks about it, they&#8217;re going to try to do everything they can to silence them. And it is unacceptable.
MIKE BAKER (ph): You&#8217;re absolutely right when you — I mean, you point out the treatment of the Uyghurs.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: You talk about the crushing of the last vestiges of democracy in Hong Kong.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: You talk about the constant economic espionage, the theft of intellectual property that goes on, the increasing aggression in the South Pacific. All these various elements that they&#8217;re engaged in.
But, you know, the NBA essentially acts just like every other major U.S. corporation. They&#8217;re all willing to turn and look the other way because everyone&#8217;s chasing that dollar in China.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: That — that massive market.
FREEDOM: You know, I was talking to John (ph), the more I research, the more I realize it&#8217;s not only NBA. You see Hollywood. You see big (INAUDIBLE).
BARTIROMO: Oh, yes.
FREEDOM: You see Wall Street. You see farmland (ph). So it’s just getting worse and worse.
BARTIROMO: Academia.
FREEDOM: And academia, there you go. It’s just getting worse and worse every day.
Go ahead.
JOHN LEVINE (ph): Well, the strategy is co-option (ph).
FREEDOM: Yes.
LEVINE: I mean, and China doesn&#8217;t just do this in the United States. They also do it around the world in countries they operate in. They target, you know, elite figures in academia, in politics, in science, the arts, sports.
FREEDOM: Yes. Yes.
LEVINE: You know, we’ve all — obviously the NBA as you’ve — as you’ve noted, is completely in their pocket. But it’s not just them.
FREEDOM: Yes.
LEVINE: You also see Hollywood, which is, you know, completely, you know, bowing to the whims of the Chinese Communist Party and the content they’re producing.
BARTIROMO: And corporate America.
LEVINE: And perhaps even our own government —
BARTIROMO: Yes.
LEVINE: With Hunter Biden and — and why was Joe Biden&#8217;s response to the Chinese balloon so tepid and so — and so mealymouthed? And then you — you see Hunter’s business deals operating in the background there. We don’t really know, so.
BAKER: Good use of the word tepid.
LEVINE: Thank you.
BAKER: Enes, I&#8217;ve got one question.
FREEDOM: Of course.
BAKER: And I apologize for asking this. Has there been a moment since you&#8217;ve been engaged in essentially this effort to raise awareness, has there been a moment where you’ve stepped back and you thought, you know, maybe I shouldn&#8217;t have done this, maybe I should have focused on my career?
FREEDOM: You know, a lot of people actually ask me this question. You know, you lost millions of dollars. You lost your career and stuff. But people need to understand, this is bigger than myself. This is bigger than NBA. This is bigger than basketball.
Whenever I sit down and have a conversation with this (INAUDIBLE), Hong Kongers, Taiwanese people, Uyghurs and Mongolians and (INAUDIBLE), and if I — whenever I hear what they’re going through, I was like, you know what, this is just bigger than basketball, man.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
FREEDOM: I cannot just stay silent.
BARTIROMO: And that&#8217;s why you posted a tweet taking a jab at LeBron, OK.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BARTIROMO: So you&#8217;re — you’re tweeting and LeBron James over his new $1 billion partnership with Nike.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BARTIROMO: He — you know, Nike hasn&#8217;t said anything about the Uyghur situation. Tell me about this billion-dollar deal and what you put on this — on this tweet. Zero morals, zero values, zero principles, zero empathy, one bow down to China, congratulations King James.
FREEDOM: So, I — I put this tweet out there when he become the — you know, the most scoring —
BAKER: Scoring champion.
FREEDOM: Yes, scoring champion.
But I want to talk about Nike first because when you look at Nike, in America they stand with Black Lives Matter, no Asian hates, LGBTQ community, Latino community. But when it comes to China, I mean everybody knows about the slave labors and sweat shops, you know.
BAKER: Yes.
FREEDOM: And LeBron just became a billionaire, I believe, like a couple months ago. And what else do you want? Go out there and talk about what’s &#8212; he has three kids. And think about your &#8212; put your kids in their shoes, you know? They&#8217;re making this &#8212; there&#8217;s so much oppression, there’s so much blood and sweat behind those shoes that you&#8217;ve been wearing every time you go out there and play basketball.
BARTIROMO: Yes, what a great point.
MARK TEPPER, CEO, STRATEGIC WEALTH PARTNERS: Yes, it&#8217;s a fantastic point. And I&#8217;m wondering, you know, LeBron holds himself out as an activist himself.
FREEDOM: Oh, geez.
TEPPER: You know, he does his &#8212; his podcasts and things like that.
FREEDOM: Yes.
BAKER: Right.
TEPPER: And he acts like he is an activist. And he&#8217;s probably, you know, he&#8217;s veering outside of his lane. But how can you hold yourself out there as an activist when you are turning a blind eye to the genocide and the slavery in China? Why is it OK —
BARTIROMO: Is it all BS?
TEPPER: For slavery in China to be — to be a thing?
FREEDOM: Well, because, the things that he talks about in America is not going to affect his money or business.
TEPPER: Yes.
FREEDOM: You know, it’s not going to affect his jersey sales or shoe sales, whatever.
And I was actually having a conversation with one of the — one of his teammates, and he said, whatever he&#8217;s doing, he does not care about, he just wants to do his own PR, you know?
TEPPER: I believe that. I believe that.
BARTIROMO: Enes, do you have any interest in running for office, public office?
FREEDOM: I actually do. I actually do, yes.
BARTIROMO: Nice. Nice.
FREEDOM: That will be very interesting because, I mean —
BARTIROMO: What would you like to do? You&#8217;d like to — like to be a member of Congress?
FREEDOM: I would actually when the time is right. And shout out to, you know, whoever is out there listening. Yes, of course I would love to.
BAKER: How would you feel about taking on the job of secretary of transportation?
FREEDOM: You actually — interesting. I like that. I saw the video yesterday.
BARTIROMO: No, no, but, look, hold on, are you &#8212; are you right now making plans to run for public office?
FREEDOM: Yes. Yes, I do. Yes.
BARTIROMO: Are you raising money?
FREEDOM: Not yet. I haven&#8217;t started yet. But I started to have conversations with some my friends and members of Congress.
BARTIROMO: Terrific.
Enes, thanks very much for breaking the news on this program.
BAKER: A principled man.
FREEDOM: Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it.
BARTIROMO: Great to see you, sirs. Enes Kanter Freedom, you are a superstar, so courageous.
FREEDOM: Thank you. Thank you for having me.</blockquote>

Portland Trail Blazers v Boston Celtics

Ex-NBA Player Enes Kanter Freedom To Run For Political Office

Basketball

Congress

Enes Kanter Freedom

After LeBron James broke the record for all-time scoring in the NBA on Tuesday night, former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom, who has blasted James for his political stances before, launched a blistering attack on James on social media.
James scored 38 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder; raising his career total to 38,390, surpassing the previous total of 38,387 held by six-time MVP and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“38,388 Points 0 Morals 0 Values 0 Principles 0 Empathy 1 Bow Down to #China,” Kanter Freedom — who changed his last name to Freedom when he gained U.S. citizenship in 2021 — tweeted on Wednesday morning. “Congratulations to @KingJames.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
38,388 Points 0 Morals 0 Values 0 Principles 0 Empathy 1 Bow Down to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a>
Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a>
&mdash; Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1623185037737730049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“People get mad when I speak the truth because I&#8217;m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth,” Kanter Freedom added. “I don’t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money. You can NOT buy me #CCP!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
People get mad when I speak the truth because I’m the only athlete who actually speaks the truth. I don’t care about your endorsement deals or your dirty money.
You can NOT buy me <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CCP</a>!
Don’t expect me to respect you or your game when your shoes are literally made by SLAVE KIDS
&mdash; Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1623339669961207810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kanter Freedom, who originally hailed from Turkey, referred to James’ reticence to criticize China, which has been widely criticized for its brutal treatment of the Uyghur Muslims.
In 2019, then-Houston Rockers general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for protesters in Hong Kong, sharing a photo that read, “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.”
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) suspended NBA broadcasts for over two years.
James <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27847951/daryl-morey-was-misinformed-sending-tweet-china-hong-kong">chimed in</a> after Morey’s actions, “Yes, we do have freedom of speech. But at times, there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you&#8217;re not thinking about others, when you only think about yourself. I don&#8217;t want to get into a word or sentence feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn&#8217;t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke.”
“So many people could have been harmed, not only financially but physically, emotionally, spiritually,” James continued. “So just be careful what we tweet and what we say and what we do, even though yes, we do have freedom of speech  but there can be a lot of negative that comes with that.”
“I believe he was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation, and if he was, then so be it. I have no idea, but that’ s just my belief. Because when you say things or do things, if you are doing it and you know the people that can be affected by it and the families and individuals and everyone that can be affected by it, sometimes things can be changed as well. And also sometimes social media is not always the proper way to go about things as well, but that&#8217;s just my belief,” he concluded.
Freedom targeted James in October 2021 over his ties to China.
“Nike likes to say ‘Just Do It.’ Well, what are you doing about the slave labor that makes your shoes? That slave labor that makes you rich,” Kanter said in a video. “To the owner of Nike — Phil Knight — I have a message for you. How about I book plane tickets for us, let’s fly to China together. We can try to visit these slave labor camps and you can see with your own eyes. LeBron James and Michael Jordan, you guys are welcome to come too. Nike must be a participant in this. Stop the hypocrisy. Stop the modern-day slavery now.”
In November 2021, Kanter Freedom slammed James, tweeting, “Money over Morals for the ‘King’ Crown. Sad &amp; disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice. They really do ‘shut up &amp; dribble’ when Big Boss Flag of [China] says so. Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Money over Morals for the “King” 👑 
Sad &amp; disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice
They really do “shut up &amp; dribble” when Big Boss 🇨🇳 says so
Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research? <a href="https://t.co/YUA8rGYeoZ">pic.twitter.com/YUA8rGYeoZ</a>
&mdash; Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesFreedom/status/1461380967197814785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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At the end of November 2021, Kanter Freedom <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32755256/celtics-enes-kanter-freedom-says-welcome-sit-lebron-james-human-rights-abuses-china-here-educate-him">stated</a>, “I don&#8217;t know if he&#8217;s educated enough, but I&#8217;m here to educate him and I&#8217;m here to help him, because it&#8217;s not about money. It&#8217;s about morals, principles and values. It&#8217;s about what you stand for. There are way bigger things than money. If LeBron stopped making money now, his grandkids and grandkids and grandkids can have the best life ever.”
Related: <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-rips-lebron-james-will-shut-up-and-dribble-when-big-boss-china-says-so/">Enes Kanter Rips LeBron James: Will ‘Shut Up And Dribble’ When ‘Big Boss’ China Says So</a>

Cleveland Cavaliers v New York Knicks

‘38,388 Points, 0 Morals, 0 Values … 1 Bow Down To China’: Kanter Freedom Bashes LeBron After He Breaks Record

Kanter Freedom Bashes LeBron After He Breaks Record

LeBron James

NBA superstar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-hold-back-lebron-james-after-fan-taunts-him-over-receding-hairline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeBron James</a> is used to doing superhuman things on the basketball court, but recently confided he wishes he could do things “regular people” do when off the hardwood.
James, who is on the verge of breaking the all-time career record for points scored and has been outspoken on social issues, told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/sports/basketball/lebron-james-lakers-record-career.html?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> that being one of the most recognizable athletes in the world has a price.
“I don’t want to say it ever becomes too much, but there are times when I wish I could do normal things,” James said. “I wish I could just walk outside. I wish I could just, like, walk into a movie theater and sit down and go to the concession stand and get popcorn. I wish I could just go to an amusement park just like regular people. I wish I could go to Target sometimes and walk into Starbucks and have my name on the cup just like regular people.”
James, whose net worth has been estimated at over $1 billion, seemed to acknowledge that self-pity might be a bad look for a star, especially one who has earned nearly as many jeers for his woke hectoring as cheers for his skills.
“I’m not sitting here complaining about it, of course not,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But it can be challenging at times.”
In October, James warned Twitter CEO Elon Musk after a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/28/musk-twitter-racist-posts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> claimed that since Musk took over Twitter there had been a 500% increase in the use of the n-word. “I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary AF. So many damn unfit people saying hate speech is free speech,” James tweeted.
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I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary AF. So many damn unfit people saying hate speech is free speech. <a href="https://t.co/Sy0jvXIBnC">https://t.co/Sy0jvXIBnC</a>
&mdash; LeBron James (@KingJames) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1586431561041293312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Musk responded by quoting Yoel Roth, Twitter&#8217;s Head of Safety &amp; Integrity, who <a href="https://twitter.com/yoyoel/status/1586542287416217600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a>, “Nearly all of these accounts are inauthentic. We’ve taken action to ban the users involved in this trolling campaign — and are going to continue working to address this in the days to come to make Twitter safe and welcoming for everyone.”
James’ outspokenness has included posting a photograph on social media of the police officer who  shot and killed a 16-year-old girl who was about to stab another child in Columbus, Ohio, according to police. He wrote, “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY.” The photograph was accompanied by an emoji of an hour glass, apparently indicating that time was running out.
Last July, James<a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1548085657272143874" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> called</a> Boston sports fans “racist as f***.” The same month, he said WNBA star Brittney Griner, who at the time was being detained in Russia, should rethink whether she wanted to return to America freed from Russia, stating, “Now, how can she feel like America has her back? I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?’”
James has also been heavily criticized for his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-willing-to-have-very-uncomfortable-conversation-with-lebron-james-on-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">silence on slave labor in China</a>, where the NBA has lucrative deals for programming and apparel.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lebron-james-posts-photo-of-cop-who-protected-black-girl-from-being-stabbed-youre-next">LeBron James Posts Photo Of Cop Who Protected Black Girl From Being Stabbed: ‘YOU’RE NEXT’</a>

Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns – Game Two

LeBron’s Lament: ‘I Wish I Could Do Normal Things’

Officials held back Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James during a game this week against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The incident happened on Tuesday night as the 38-year-old was headed toward the locker rooms during halftime at the Crypto.com Arena.
“Hey Bron! Hey Bron!” the man shouted at James. “You better get this s*** together! With that receding-ass hairline!&#8221;
“Look, he mad! Look at him!&#8221; the man shouted while laughing. &#8220;You sick!”
James stopped, faced the man, and appeared ready to engage before security held him back and prevented the situation from escalating further.
The Clippers went on to beat the Lakers 133-115.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
LeBron James had to be held back because he was taunted over his hairline. 
 <a href="https://t.co/caFup1f9r7">pic.twitter.com/caFup1f9r7</a>
&mdash; Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1618651769642569729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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James got a couple of fans tossed from his team’s overtime win against the Indiana Pacers back in November 2021 after serving a one-game suspension for punching a player in the face.
CBS News reported at the time that it was not clear why James was mad because no obvious incident occurred.
“It’s not entirely clear what got LeBron upset,” CBS Sports reported. “There was no obvious incident like throwing an object or coming on the court, so you’d have to guess that one of the fans said something.”
James <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-lebron-james-gets-fans-ejected-after-returning-from-suspension-for-punching-player-in-face">grabbed</a> the officials and led them to the people he claimed were acting up. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-video-shows-what-happened-in-moments-before-lebron-james-had-fans-thrown-out-of-game">Video</a> of the incident captured moments before appeared to show one of the two people waving their arms in James&#8217; direction. About 10-15 seconds later, James is seen grabbing an official by the arm, bringing the official to where the fans were seated, and pointing at the individuals in question while yelling: “It’s right f***ing here!”
The two people were quickly escorted out of the game.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
LeBron unhappy with some fans courtside in Indiana <a href="https://t.co/1Ud3B69G1E">pic.twitter.com/1Ud3B69G1E</a>
&mdash; Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ/status/1463701481308123139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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During post-game remarks, James was asked what the fans did that made him “uncomfortable” during the game.
“I mean nothing is uncomfortable for me, but there’s a difference between cheering on your home faithful, booing opponents and things of that nature or not wanting your opponents to be successful, and there’s then moments where it goes outside the line with obscene gestures and words that shouldn’t be tolerated in our game from nobody,” James responded. “I would never say it to a fan and a fan should never say it to a player.”

Los Angeles Lakers v Detroit Pistons

Officials Hold Back LeBron James After Fan Taunts Him Over ‘Receding Hairline’

Officials Hold Back LeBron James After Fan Taunts Him Over 'Receding Hairline'

Los Angeles Lakers

The government of Turkey has put a $530,000 bounty on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/enes-kanter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enes Kanter Freedom</a>, the pro-America former NBA star who has been an outspoken advocate of human rights.
The athlete, who was born in Switzerland to Turkish parents, has been an outspoken critic of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-biden-tells-turkish-president-erdogan-he-will-recognize-armenian-genocide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a>, prompting Ankara to brand him a “terrorist” and offer the reward for anyone who helps put him behind bars.  Freedom has referred to the strongman as the “Hitler of our century.”
&#8220;Because of my platform, whenever I say something, it goes everywhere, and the Turkish government hates that,&#8221; <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/01/12/ex-nba-star-enes-kanter-has-500k-turkish-bounty-on-his-head/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedom told the New York Post</a>. &#8220;They’re really sick of it, and they said, ‘Enough is enough,’ and doing whatever they can to shut me up.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Former NBA player Enes Freedom is now a wanted “Terrorist” in Turkey for speaking out against the government and has a $500,000 bounty on his head 😳 <a href="https://t.co/HFyD5NLxHG">pic.twitter.com/HFyD5NLxHG</a>
&mdash; Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLoud/status/1614022921978105856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In a separate interview, Freedom, who legally changed his name from Enes Kanter and became a U.S. citizen in 2021, said Ankara regularly puts the lives of dissidents in danger.
“I’m not the only one,” Freedom <a href="https://www.turkishminute.com/2023/01/10/activist-nba-player-enes-kanter-freedom-has-a-bounty-on-his-head/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Turkish Minute</a>. “There are so many innocent journalists, academics, athletes, activists, and educators on this list. Now their lives are in danger because of the Turkish government.”
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In addition to criticizing his homeland, Freedom has blasted the NBA for its close dealings with China. He has clashed with NBA superstar LeBron James, who has been highly critical of the U.S., particularly during the Trump administration, but has defended Beijing’s human rights record. Freedom’s supporters believe his willingness to call out the league is the reason the 30-year-old athlete has not been on a team for over a year.
In 2021, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-willing-to-have-very-uncomfortable-conversation-with-lebron-james-on-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedom criticized James</a> and others for staying silent on China, where Uyghur slaves are used to manufacture shoes and apparel, while they “pretend they care about social justice.”
“I don’t know if he’s educated enough, but I’m here to educate him and I’m here to help him because it’s not about money,” Freedom said. “It’s about morals, principles, and values. It’s about what you stand for. There are way bigger things than money. If LeBron stopped making money now, his grandkids and [their] grandkids and [their] grandkids can have the best life ever.”
Freedom has played 11 seasons in the NBA, with stints playing for the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Portland Trailblazers, and, most recently, the Boston Celtics in 2021-22. The six-foot, 10-inch center has averaged 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and earned over $100 million. He was the third overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft.
Freedom played for the Turkish national team from 2008-2015, but later became disillusioned with the country, which has become more authoritarian under Erdogan.
Freedom told the Post he fears the bounty will make him a target of anyone wishing to collect a fortune.
“That makes it so dangerous,” Freedom said. “Before the bounty, Turkish intelligence was after the people on the list, but now everyone is after them because they want the money.”

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Turkey Puts Bounty On America-Loving Ex-NBA Star Enes Kanter Freedom

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