Enes Kanter’s social media presence is constant and entertaining enough that Danny Ainge doesn’t really want to know the depth of it.
“I won’t be following him on social media. I don’t have enough time in the day,” the Celtics president said Wednesday.
Kanter, though, demands attention beyond his fun on social media. He remains an outspoken critic of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and is friends with an exiled Muslim cleric named Fetullah Gulen. The Turkish government suspended his passport two years ago and also issued an arrest warrant, accusing Kanter of being part of a terrorist group.
As a result, Kanter has been unable to travel outside the United States due to the reluctance of foreign governments to offer protection to an undocumented traveler. A potential issue looms here, considering that the Celtics play two regular season games in Toronto.
But Kanter said that he plans to meet with U.S. Senator Ed Markey to find a solution.
“When I was in Portland, one of the conversations was if we made the NBA Finals if I could travel to Toronto or not,” said Kanter. “In Portland, U.S. Senator Mr. Ron Wyden sent a letter to the Canadian government and they said, ‘We don’t see an issue to come into our country.’ So I’m actually going to meet with Senator Markey next week and I’m going to talk to him about some of the issues. I don’t think it will be a problem, but we’ll see.”
Kanter remains resolute, however, in his criticism of Erdogan’s regime, even while his family continues to live in Turkey.
“I have not talked to them, but my brother is here in America and he talked to my family about the Boston Celtics and everything and they were very excited. Because, obviously it is a winning culture and great history and stuff,” he said. “They were very happy and excited about it. It was a very tough situation, but I think what I’m doing is definitely worth it because what I’m trying to do is try to be a voice of all of those innocent people who don’t have one. I’m trying to stand up for human rights, democracy and freedom.
“It’s tough, man. It’s very complicated, all the stuff’s going on. But right now, just because I have a platform, I’m trying to use this platform as a voice for all those innocent people who don’t have one. And it’s very sad that in my country there is no freedom, there is no democracy and there is no human rights. So that’s what I’m trying to do is just bring awareness to all these people what’s really going on in Turkey. And it’s tough. A lot of people are telling me, am I crazy doing it? Because my family’s back in Turkey. But there are thousands and thousands of people I know right now in jail in Turkey and they’re just suffering. So that’s why I know when you talk about this stuff you’re not going to get big contracts or big endorsements or this and that. But I think what I’m doing is way bigger than basketball and way bigger than everything I’m doing.”
Big Brady fan
Kanter, who put on his uniform and briefly ran with a group of young Celtics campers Wednesday, has some definitely plans for how to savor is new city.
“I might actually go to the Red Sox game today. So we don’t have baseball in Turkey and my friend told me that people go to baseball games to just drink and eat hot dogs, it takes four hours,” he said (despite the impending thunderstorms). “So I might go. I don’t drink by the way. But I might go check it out just to see the fans and see what baseball is all about, because I don’t even know the rules. So I’m definitely excited about it.”
He’s also excited about meeting another member if the local sports fraternity.
“I’m actually a very big fan of Tom Brady. I actually want to meet him, but I wasn’t going to say it in a press conference,” he said. “But I’m like, ‘Should I do it or not?’ But I’m definitely a big fan of him and I would love to meet him. What he does on and off the court is amazing not just for football, for sports. So if he’s listening right now, I want to meet you, my man.”
Team effort
Kemba Walker, as it turned out, jumped right into the recruitment effort after reaching agreement with the Celtics. His first call was to Kanter, on Ainge’s phone.
“After free agency started, he called me, actually. it was one of the biggest reasons, Kemba was one of the biggest reasons I came here, and that shows the kind of leader that he is,” said Kanter. “He didn’t call me on his phone. He called me on Danny’s phone. He called me, I answered the phone, it was a deep voice and I was like, ‘Who’s this?’ He said, ‘It’s Kemba, man, and we want you to be here and we’re excited about you.’ That made me very excited and feel special. Having an All-Star guy, a superstar like Kemba call me and say, ‘Hey, we want you to be here.’ That’s special.” …
Though Walker’s old college coach is an enthusiastic advocate for the basketball experience in Boston, the new Celtics star said he didn’t need a pep talk from Jim Calhoun.
“He didn’t have to recruit me,” said Walker. “No, not at all. He stayed away from the recruiting process, I guess.”