Enes Kanter Basketball Camp Axed After Turkish Threat, He Claims

WESTBURY, NY — Enes Kanter, an NBA center playing for the Boston Celtics, was going to host a free basketball camp for children this weekend at the Islamic Center of Long Island, a mosque in Westbury.

However, Kanter announced on Instagram last night that the mosque opted to cancel his camp due to alleged threats it received from the Turkish Consulate of New York.

Kanter wrote that over 300 children were impacted by the Islamic Center's decision to cancel his camp and then slammed the "Turkish Dictator" that he's become embroiled with.

Kanter wrote in his 2018 Time article about how he's "a vocal critic of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's] dictatorial regime," and that he uses his NBA platform at "every opportunity to make sure everyone knows about Erdogan’s cruelty and disdain for human rights."

"If you speak out against Erdogan, it can affect your whole life and everyone around you," Kanter wrote. "It has been too dangerous for me to set foot in Turkey for three years. The last time I visited, the government destroyed my brothers’ school and threw my dentist and his wife in prison."

He added that the Turkish regime arrested and charged a man for links to Fethullah Gulen, a preacher and scholar who Erdogan has deemed Public Enemy Number One, allegedly because Kanter took a photo with his child. Kanter also wrote that a comedian he exchanged a few tweets with is a wanted man and could face an aggravated life sentence.

Kanter added that Erdogan cancelled his passport and put out an international warrant for his arrest. His family and friends have been negatively impacted, too. His father, who lost his job as a professor at a public university, could be sentenced to 10 years in prison if he loses his trial, Kanter said. His siblings have been bullied at school and the family's friends are too scared to associate with them, he said.

The cancellation of his basketball clinic is just the latest. The Islamic Center of Long Island put out a statement on Twitter, citing "unforeseen circumstances" as the reason it scrapped the camp.

ICLI Statement on Food Fest and Basketball Clinic at Islamic Center of Long Island. pic.twitter.com/1NOEP5iOgE
— Islamic Center of LI (@ICLINY) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/ICLINY/sta... 25, 2019

However, Kanter is not without support. Bipartisan support at that.

U.S. Representative Peter King met with Kanter on Wednesday afternoon.

Proud to meet with @EnesKanter an NBA Star and Turkish patriot who stands up to tyranny of the Erdogan government. Turkish government threatens and attempts to intimidate him but Enes stands tall. Assured of my continued support! https://t.co/PWMC4EYRFQ
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/RepPeteKin... 25, 2019

Kathleen Rice, another U.S. representative, called the cancellation of his basketball camp "shameful" in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon. Rice said her office is working with Kanter to find a nearby location where he can host his camp instead.

This is shameful. My office is working with @EnesKanter to find an alternative location nearby that can host his camp.

These kids deserve this opportunity.

Stay tuned for an update. #NY04 https://t.co/ZF2koxv6vJ
— Kathleen Rice (@RepKathleenRice) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/RepKathlee... 25, 2019