In 2017, the last time Kanter was overseas with the Knicks, Kanter’s Turkish passport was seized during a layover in Romania, and he was nearly arrested and extradited to Turkey. Since then he has refrained from leaving the United States, for fear that he will be arrested, and worse. Therefore, while the New York Knicks were in London playing against the Washington Wizards, Enes Kanter, the Knicks’ starting center, was in Washington D.C., speaking with congressional leaders about the atrocities being committed against Turkish Kurds by Turkish President Erdogan.

What’s the Beef Between Gulen and Erdogan?

A few facts in this situation are uncontroverted. First, Gulen and Erdogan despise each other, to the point that many believe you have to take everything one says about the other with a bit of skepticism. Oddly, they used to be friends. Perhaps this is one of the most extreme examples of “frenemies” the world have ever seen.

Kanter Considers Gulen His Adoptive Father

Kanter is very close with Gulen, visiting him every two to three weeks in the off-season, and considers Gulen his adoptive father. Kanter has also been extremely outspoken about his contempt towards Erdrogan. Kanter has called Erdogan “the Hitler of our century” over his government’s consolidation of power, and relentless uncivil treatment of Turkey’s Kurdish ethnic minority. Erdogan believes that Kanter is financially supporting Gulen’s terrorist regime, and though we can debate the “terrorism” label, it would not come as a surprise if Kanter did provide some funding to Gulen, especially given the $18 million contract Kanter signed in the offseason.

Incidentally, the Wizards beat the Knicks in London, 101-100, getting the winning point on a goal-tending call with 0.4 seconds left in the game. Kanter, who averages 14.4 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, was sorely missed.

Related Resources:

  • Court Tosses Turkey’s Human Rights Suit Against Fethullah Gulen (FindLaw’s U.S. Third Circuit Court Blog)
  • Colin Kaepernick Says He’s Gotten Death Threats for National Anthem Protest (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)
  • Athlete’s Suicide Blamed on Sorority Hazing in Lawsuit (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)

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