Enes Kanter Freedom Calls on Leagues to 'Take Notes' on WTA Pulling Out of China over Peng Shuai

Thursday, Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom urged other professional leagues in the United States to “take notes” on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), which recently canceled all of its tournaments scheduled in China over concerns about the safety of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai.

The Turkish-born NBA star, who recently changed his surname to “Freedom” after becoming a U.S. citizen, praised the WTA for putting “morals, values and principles” over money. He called on other leagues to take the WTA’s example and take a stand against China.

“While we know that she is alive, everybody knows that she’s not safe. She’s not free to talk. She’s not free to travel,” Freedom outlined on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.” “And, you know, China’s Communist Party is trying to control the narrative about her, and you know … it gives me so much hope and motivation when the Tennis Association put that comment out there. I feel like every major league in the United States should take notes and take examples of what WTA is doing. It was amazing. I applaud them for it for sure.”

He continued, “It is so important to not bow down to this, you know, dictatorship regime, and this cultish regime, because they do not care about money. WTA did not care about anything but morals, values and principles. So, I feel like every major sport in America should take an example of what WTA is doing.”

“We need to be the voice of all those innocent people out there who don’t have a voice, and this platform is given to us by God,” Freedom added.

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent