Enes Kanter Freedom Won't Stay Silent

What this episode covers

Some say sports and politics should be kept separate — that athletes should just “stick to sports.” But for others, politics and sports can’t be separated at all. This week, we sit down with Kevin Blackistone, an award-winning national sports columnist who focuses on the intersection of sports and politics. We’ll talk about why he believes it’s impossible to separate the two, how the Trump administration is showing up in the sports world today, and how athletes respond when they’re told to “shut up and dribble.” Then we’ll hear from an athlete who’s made a name for himself by speaking out. During his 11 years in the NBA, Enes Kanter Freedom played for five teams, including the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. Enes has built a reputation as an advocate, putting human rights at the forefront of every conversation — even when it has led to personal consequences for himself and his family. Show Notes In the Name of Freedom: A Political Dissident's Fight for Human Rights in the NBA and Around the World | Enes Kanter Freedom Enes Kanter Freedom: Why I Became an American | The Atlantic Enes Kanter’s family disowns him over Turkish political issues | NBC ‘My dad has been released’: Enes Kanter celebrates father’s freedom in Turkey | The Athletic Turkey’s Erdogan Blasts Syria, Israel | Morning Edition Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineer: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network