# Enes Kanter Freedom Says NBA Locker Rooms Shunned Him Over a Fox News Appearance and Calls LeBron James 'the Dictator of the NBA'

In new remarks after a WNBA Finals seating dispute, the former NBA center alleges Celtics teammates froze him out, says a former teammate questioned LeBron James' activism, and claims some players privately back Trump.

- Section: [Culture](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/culture/)
- Published: 2026-10-23
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/enes-kanter-freedom-lebron-james-celtics-fox-news-shunned-wnba-finals-seating/

Enes Kanter Freedom, the former NBA center who now campaigns on human rights, has made new claims about NBA culture. They are his own allegations, delivered in an interview that Outkick reported on.

The trigger. The remarks follow a Game 3 WNBA Finals incident in Atlanta. Outkick says the league tried to move him from the courtside seat he bought to a private luxury suite, citing security concerns. He had an encounter with police at the entrance of State Farm Arena and left without attending. He is in a dispute with the WNBA over its gender eligibility policy and wants it limited to biological females.

On LeBron James. Freedom said that in his final NBA season, 2021, he asked then-Celtics teammate Dennis Schröder about James' activism. He says Schröder answered, "Whatever is LeBron doing is for LeBron." Freedom said that is "where he lost me." Fox did not report any comment from Schröder or James. Freedom also criticized James' conduct during the national anthem before Philadelphia's Tuesday opener against the Knicks. Video shows James making apparent golf and shooting motions, and President Trump criticized him Thursday. "I call him the dictator of the NBA," Freedom said, and he predicted the league will be less "woke" after James retires.

On the Celtics locker room. Freedom said that after a CNN appearance about human rights abuses in China, teammates congratulated him. After a Fox News appearance on the same topic, he says nobody would look at him. He claims an assistant coach whispered praise because "I don't want your teammates to know that I watch Fox News." He said teammates did not accept his explanation that he wanted a wider audience.

On private views. Freedom claimed many players privately support conservative causes and Trump but hide it for fear of being canceled. He said some former colleagues told him "we cannot help you" publicly but supported him privately, and he did not name them. He pointed to a podcast talk with Michael Porter Jr., who he said came to understand his position.

Note for readers: these are one man's claims about private conversations, and Outkick's report did not include responses from the NBA or the people he named. We have not verified them. Our earlier video summary touched on the WNBA anthem and eligibility debate.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox News (Outkick)](https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/enes-kanter-freedom-scorched-earth-lebron-james-nba-revelations-wnba-finals-incident)