October 7, 2025 • 27 mins
On the second anniversary of October 7th, Sean Hannity welcomes Enes Freedom—NBA star, human rights activist, and author of In the Name of Freedom. Enes shares his remarkable journey from Turkey to the NBA, his battle against political persecution, and his call for moral courage in the face of rising anti-Semitism. Together, Hannity and Freedom discuss global threats to liberty, President Trump’s leadership, and the enduring fight for faith and freedom around the world.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Showing up next our final News round Up and Information
Overload hour.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
All right, News round Up and Information Overload Hour. Here's
our toll free telephone number if you want to be
a part of the program. It's eight hundred nine to
four one sean. If you want to join us, we'll
get to your calls. Coming up this hour here it
is the second anniversary of October seventh, twenty twenty three.
And you know, one of the things I often talk
(00:25):
about on this program is we live in the greatest
best country God gave man, and we often take for
granted the liberties and freedoms that so many fault bled
and died for. And it's it's natural. I mean, you
don't wake up every day, ah, I live in freedom.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You wake up every you know, you get the kids dressed,
you get them ready for school, you pack that lunch.
You know, you you drive them to school, or you
get them to the bus stop, whatever it happens to be,
and then you go off. You put in your twelve, thirteen,
fourteen hours whatever you work every day and you come home,
you know, put a meal together quick, and then you
(01:03):
help them with their homework. And then you know, you
shuffle into bed. Hopefully you watch Hannity and your day's
done and you get up and you know, grind out
the next day, and you don't wake up and say, ah,
I live in freedom. However, when you have those quiet moments,
those reflective moments, those introspective moments which we all need
in life, you realize, Wow, we are blessed. We're blessed
(01:27):
beyond measure, blessed beyond what we deserve. And his freedom,
whose story is unbelievable, joins us. He wrote a brand
new book. We'll put it on Hannity Dot Comments, on
Amazon dot comments, and bookstores around the country. It's called
in the Name of Freedom, a political dissidence fight for
human rights in the NBA and around the world. Here
(01:48):
on the anniversary of October seventh, to talk about those atrocities.
But it tells the story of ns Kanter. And by
the way, he was honored at the Patriot Awards a
couple of years ago, and I spent time with him,
and I realized just how amazing he is and what
a life he's had. But you know, he came here
from Turkey and now he is an American citizen, Nobel
(02:12):
Peace Prize nominee, a fierce advocate for human rights, and
he paid a price for speaking out and refused to
stand as a native as his native country descended into
this authoritarian dictatorship. He made his opinion known to Erduwan
not a good guy in his regime, and they declared
him an enemy of the state. His father, still in Turkey,
(02:36):
was arrested, declared a terrorist, and his passport was revoked
as he you know, was made stateless anyway. And it's
great to have you back, sir. How are you?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Thank you for having me sewn. I appreciate it. I'm good.
How are you well?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
It's a sad day. I mean, it's a reminder, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean, we're on the brink of maybe a deal
in the Middle East, and hopefully and prayerfully we hope
that that happens and the hostages that are both alive
and debt or released, and that maybe, you know, for
the first time, Arab countries will will step up and
help that region of the world. More hope than we've
ever had in my lifetime, for sure. But why don't
(03:15):
we go through your story. Let's talk about your life
and how you had a dream, how you made it
to the NBA and how you stood up against your country.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It was actually like we all started with a promise.
I remember I was nine years old. I went balanstairs
to play with my friends who are not even teenagers,
and my friends, my little friends. They were burning American flags,
they were breaking crosses, and I remember asked one of
my friends that, guys, what are you doing. They said, well,
that's what we see on TV. We should hate America,
(03:51):
we should hate the West, we should hate the Christians.
And I'm like, what's the reason. Well, they said, well
that's what our leader says. So I remember one of
my friends gave me a flag to burn it. He
gave me a flag, he gave me a lighter and
said burn it. I remember I just looked down and
threw the flag down. I ran upstairs to my mom.
(04:13):
I was like, Mom, my friends are telling me they
hate America, I hate the West, hate the Christians. What
do I do? My mom said, I'm not going to
tell you what to do, but do not hate anyone
before you meet them. So that day I give a
promise to my mom, and literally seventeen years later, for
the first time, I came to America as a teenager,
(04:34):
I start meeting with Americans. I started meeting with Christian
people for the first time, and I had realized that
everything that I've been learning back in Turkey is just false.
So now I dedicated my whole life to inspire and
educate the young generations so they can have a better
understanding of America, better understanding of what's going on around
(04:56):
the world, because especially Middle East is the easiest way
to brainwash people to use religion. The problem is not
Islam or anything. The problem is with the politicians, and
unfortunately they uses that heat to be re elected again.
And now I'm just literally dedicated my whole life to
(05:18):
this cause so I can inspire the next generation.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But the first time I do see hope, and I
really give a lot of credit to President Trump. You know,
this twenty point deal that he put together was not
an easy deal. There was a lot in there for
Israel that they had to swallow. A release of you know,
twelve hundred prisoners and people that they know of they're
sworn enemies, and disarming of Hamas and the return of
(05:46):
the prisoners. Well know, probably in the next forty eight hours.
If this deal is going to come to fruition. I'm hopeful.
I mean, we've never had so much hope. But he
has also built relationships with Jordan and Egypt and Saudi
Arabia and Qatar and the Emirates and other countries, maybe
not necessarily Turkey and Erdawan or although he did lecture
(06:08):
Dawan recently, which I found refreshing because I think he
needs it. I think he's become more radicalized as the
years have gone by, and why he's still a member
of NATO is somewhat surprising to me. What are your
thoughts as we as we listen to this, and I
want to play for you a pro Palestine pro haamas,
you know, as these protesters celebrate these October seventh attacks
here two years later, listen.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
O resistant storm, legal settling and paraded across colonial organs.
Sill be great from the river to the scene palasid
(06:59):
well be great. Gory to the murders, to the murders.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It was incelerating, it was nager. They were accelerating.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
By this, this challenge to the monopoly of Paris, by
this shooting of the Browns of power.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
And they would not be your Hey god.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Kay, he.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Only ers.
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Hey, I was P's Okay, that's all that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Okay, I told myself.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
From the River to the Sea means wiping Israel off
the map, you know, glory to the martyrs. You have
a mayoral candidate in New York that's leading the supports
of global Antifada. That means the elimination of Israel, wiping
it off the map, which is in Homaso's tarter.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
What's your reaction to that, you.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Know, throut all this or throt all this. I still
think that, you know, the piece is possible, And I
just I'm really like training and hoping that I hope
the President Trump will step in and just bring this
deal h in and then actually, actually we can have
peace again, because like people need to understand and there
are you know, thousands of pens of thousands of innocent
(08:43):
people all on the streets are getting hurt on both
sides actually, you know, So I just hope, I'm just
hoping that, you know, peace is possible, but we just
need strong leaders. We just need strong leaders that president
topic it like black President Trump to step in and
says enough is enough, enough killings and we got to
(09:04):
stop it. I was listening as President Trump's one of
his interview and the reporter asked them which side are
you on? Are you on? You were in no Russia sides,
and he gives an amazing answer. He said, you know what,
I just want people to stop dying. What an amazing answer.
So I just hope with this deal as well. I
(09:26):
just hope that, you know, people will stop dying because
people behind the table are the ones that given the orders,
and innocent people on the streets are the ones that
get hurts. So we got we gotta do whatever we
can to bring awareness. And also like this kind of
in this kind of protest, I see like people are
burning American flags and stuff. What what a disrespectful moon
(09:47):
that is? Like you live in America and you're disrespecting
this countries right. It just breaks my heart, man. But
I just hope that you know, peace, we can bring
peace again. I believe. I'm hopeful that it's possible, and
I hope the present trumb will step and bring the
piece again to a Middle East.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Let's go back to your personal story. You talked about
your mom and your friends burning the American flag. Let's
go to your story and how you left Turkey, how
you made it to the NBA and how your family
is still to this day paying a price because you
were not subservient to Idawan and to the radicalism.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Oh man, you know. I mean it's been eleven years, John,
literally eleven years that I have not seen my mom,
my dad, or my sister. People keep talking about me
losing my career because I spoke about China's human rights
violations and how MBA is tied up with China and stuff,
(10:51):
and let people need to understand that I wanted to
stand up for the for the human rights violation of
political prisoners in Turkey. I have not seen my family
for eleven years. They put my dad in jail. You know.
Luckily that we put so much pressure from here to
Turkey they had to let them go. No, it's been,
it's been. I think the hardest thing that I've just
(11:14):
gone through is what my family has to face. You know,
my mom and my dad.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Do you still talk to them?
Speaker 4 (11:22):
I can't because if I talk to my mom or dad,
if I pick up the phone, or if you have
any kind of connection with them, it's an act of
terrorism in Turkish government's eyes, you know. So that's why
I cannot even pick up my pick up a phone
and call my mom. You know, my brother plays basketball overseas,
(11:42):
so I have to call my brother, and my brother
has to tell me what's going on with my family.
You know, I can't even I can barely remember the
face of my mother right now. And I mean, I
understand Turkey is a very important ally to America, just
like you.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I would say important, and they have been more important
in the past, but as they become more radicalized, less
and less important in my mind.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I mean, this is the country like Turkey, this is
the dictator that gives passport to Comma's leader so they
can go in and out of European countries. This is
the leader that gives you know, trouvelods of weapons to
Muslim brotherhood, Like when are we going to stay enough?
(12:28):
Easy enough? And we have to take concrete actions against
this regime, you know, I understand. You know, we have
an American airbase, so whether I understand Turkey is a
NATO ally and the second strongest military in NATO, Like
we cannot just let a NATO ally help the teritial
organizations out there, you know. So I hope that when
(12:50):
this all conflict ends in Middle East, presence Trump, can
you know have like a serious conversation with Ardona and
push them to care about human rights violations in this country.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
How did you make it to the NBA.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
I went to Universital of Kia, Kentucky. I want to
give a huge shout out to John Calipari. He played
a very important role in my basketball career. After attending
one year of Universal Kentucky, I got drafted in twenty
eleven by Utah Chazz and then I played basketball since
you know. And the thing is, I worked so hard
(13:27):
my whole life to get it to NBA, and I remember,
it just breaks my heart have my career ended because
I really thought we have freedom in America. But it's
crazy that I started to talk about the problems are
happening in China and now I am out of the league.
(13:48):
I mean, it blows my mind. How the biggest dictatorship
in the world like China put a pressure on one
hundred percent American made organization like NBA and fire a
US citizen. I'm just very very confused with that.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Well, stay right there, ands freedom is with us.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
He has a brand new book out in the Name
of Freedom, a political dissonance fight for human rights in
the NBA and around the world. We'll pick it up
where he left off on the issue of why he's
not playing in the NBA right now and the influence
that outside political influences that impacted him. Quickbreak right back
will continue anyway, and his freedom is with us. In
(14:29):
the name of Freedom is brand new book, a political dissonance,
fight for human rights in the NBA and around the world.
If you missed the first part of our interview, he's
not been able to talk to his family for eleven years.
He's a political exile from Turkey now an American citizen
playing in the NBA. Played in the NBA. What happened
(14:51):
that got you out of the NBA?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
What was it? In particular?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Because I remember at the time when this happened, I'm thinking,
this doesn't make sense.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Well, I didn't lose trust me. I didn't lose my
place in the NBA because I couldn't play. I lost
it because I chose to speak up. You know, when
I spoke out against all the human rights about abuses
by the Chinese government. I mean, I knew it might
cost me something, but I never imagine it will cost
me my career. You know, more people watch NBA games
in China than American population last year. So NBA makes
(15:24):
billions of dollars from Jersey sales, shoe sales, TV deals.
And this was never about politics or take inside. It
was literally about something for literally basic human dignities, you know,
for the people who cannot speak freely, who are selves
or simply wanted to live with freedom and respect. So
(15:45):
I had been a conversation with my teammates, many conversations
from the NBA front offices, and they all said the
same thing that that listen, we believe what you're saying,
but it's going to cost us millions of dollars. So
you can never say anything about the Chinese government or
nineties hypocrisies. I mean, I'm talking about the sweatshops. So
(16:11):
it's sad to me because I was twenty nine years
old when I started to speak up and my agent
called me and he said, listen, I work for you.
I don't work for the NBA, So I gotta be
honest with you. If you say another word, if you
say another word about the Chinese government, you're not going
to play basketball ever again in MBA. And this is
(16:33):
going to cost you between forty to fifty million dollars.
The choice is yours. I hang up the phone. I
never talk to him again. You know, it's crazy to
me how much how much some organization and entities, and
it's controlled by the Chinese government. I'm talking about NBA
(16:53):
and Hollywood and academias and Big Tag and farmland. So
I was like, I got to expose their hypocrisies.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
What is it about you that you would do well?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Probably maybe one percent of other NBA players would never do.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
I mean, like empathy. I put myself in other people's shoes.
While we are comfortably living in this country, living in
the most luxurious houses and eating the most delicious food,
and it's lipping in the most warmert bed. On the
other side of the world, people are losing their loved ones,
losing their lives and losing their homes, you know, especially like,
especially like people in China. I'm gonna look at Oigers,
(17:32):
three million oigers in concentration camp waiting for help. Look
at Tibetans, look at what's happened in Hong Kong, look
at Taiwan. So this was bigger than myself, bigger than basketball,
bigger than NBA. I mean, I might have loved basketball,
but I found something bigger. I've voiced a purpose and
the understanding of freedom that is not guaranteed. It's something
(17:54):
that we must defend even when it's hard, you know,
And I hope this story. You know, it costs me
like forty fifty million dollars. It cost me my basketball
career or my family. I mean, listen, I care about
the future of our country. I care about our world.
If you want to have a better and brighter future,
we have to inspire and educate the next generation. So
(18:18):
we've got to do whatever we can to tell these
people that freedom is very fragile and we should not
take it for granted, and we have to put ourselves
in other people's shoes on the other side of the world.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
What do you make of this rise of anti Semitism
in the halls of Congress? As I said, it's happening
on college campuses, it's happening, it's growing worldwide. It I
hear it in the punditry, class people on radio and
TV saying, you know, things that to me are extraordinarily ignorant.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
You know, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Sure what part of murder, rape, torture, kidnapping, beheading. As
I said, they don't understand. But what do you make
of it?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
I mean, I listen, I have so many Jewish runs
around the world, and I'm actually having conversations with many
of them, and they're scared. They're even scared to go
to a synagogue. They're scared to go outside, they're scared
to you know, even like a where a Jewish star
as a necklace. And it just it's it's horrible, man,
(19:18):
you know, it's it breaks my heart how much our
world is divided right now when people literally hate each
other with without knowing the other side. And but I
mean that's why we we need bridge builders instead of walls.
Listen as also, like people need to understand this, like
(19:39):
very clearly, like our profit, like not many people know
about this our profit profit Muhammed right, he said, when
we go to war, we have rules. When among them
go to war, we cannot kill ABIs or women, elderly people.
We cannot knock down religious temples or church. We are
(20:03):
not allowed to even chill animals or cut on trees.
And this is our profit. If someone or a group
that goes against this mentality, they don't represent Islam. So
I don't I can clearly say that Hamas does not
represent Islam. Period.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Let me ask you about this, because I think there's
a misunderstanding. I always make a distinction between Islam and
radical islamis because there is a difference. And why do
you think so many people have been indoctrinated into And
I believe one of the reasons that I think Arab
nations have been reluctant to absorb part of the Palestinian population.
(20:46):
And I've shown this on TV many, many times, is
from the time children are born, for example, in Gaza,
they are shown cartoons that depict Jewish people in the
most you know, repulsive ways. When they go to school,
I've seen school books and I've shown them on TV.
You know, basically it's like, oh, if you have ten Jews,
(21:07):
you kill seven, how many more Jews do you have
left to kill? And that indoctrination is poisoned the minds
of young children. And I think there's been reluctance and
resistance among neighboring nations to absorb that population because they
don't want the radicalization in their country. They already have
problems with radicalization, right.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
I mean, so, I mean, if you look at like
It's very funny because it doesn't happen in Turkey, but
in some of the Middle Eastern countries, in schools form
of classes, feel like you have an American flag and
if you don't step on this flag, you're not even
allowed to You're not even allowed to attend the class,
and you will get bullied the rest of the school years,
(21:48):
you know. So it starts with at a very early
age when these dictatorships, unfortunately just brainwashes the populations that
who are on a dated and then and then pictures
to West as A as a demon, you know, as
a as a monster, and every kid growing up is
(22:10):
believing that and like Islam itself is not the problem.
The extremism is, you know, and people who uses Islam
or the Holy Book of Crown to brainwash people is
the problem. Or the Islam itself is not the problem,
you know, because Islam is keep I mean according to
(22:32):
what I read that. I mean, I just told you
that before we cannot like go to wars and do
what Hamas did, or do what hespitalizes doing, or do
what isis is doing, you know. So I hope to
me that people understand the true meaning of Islam. And
(22:53):
just just trying to wipe out that radicalism or extremism
in our in our society.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Well, it's pretty unbelievable because there is a distinction and
a difference, and I you know, we all have to
eventually just come to terms with and understand that we
have to live together. And do you see that day
now beginning to approach Also.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Like I mean, radical ideologies feed on hate and power,
not on faith or I think spirituality. Also, like I
think extremeism, like many played religion for political personal gains,
and that's what all the all the leaders of those
groups are doing. It. They twist like teachings to justify violence.
(23:42):
So no true faith calls for the killing of innocence
or no true believers celebrates suffering. So if someone does that,
they don't represent true Islam.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Yeah, well, I've really urge people.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
First of all, you're a very special human being, and
I really urge people to get a copy of your book.
It's called in the Name of Freedom, a Political Dissonance
Fight for Human Rights in the NBA and around the world.
It's on Hannity dot com right now, it's on Amazon
dot com right now, and it's in bookstores now as
of today all across the country, and you know, you
(24:20):
don't really meet many people that really stand on core
values and principles and put it all on the line,
and as you're one of them. And I applaud you
for all that you have been doing and will do
as you continue your incredible journey. I think God obviously
has big plans for you in your life, and you're
an inspiration everybody, And I just want you to know
(24:40):
how much we appreciate you. I hope everyone will go
out and get this book and read it and have
a deeper understanding and appreciation of the blessings of liberty
that we were born with and probably too often take
for granted.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And it's freedom. Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Man.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Eight hundred and nine four one, Shawn our number if
you want to be a part of the program. Don
is in Oklahoma, Don High, How are you glad you called?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Star?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Hey, Sean, thanks for taking my call. My pen drop
is actually out far western Oklahoma with some of the greatest,
friendliest patriots in the country, right up there with the
people of South Alabama. My heart goes out to the
people in New York City, because man Donnie's gonna soon
(25:28):
make good on his promise to make bus rides free
in the city. But the problem is there won't be
any seats on the bus because it'd be full of homeless.
Air conditioning in the summer, heated in the winter. It's
gonna be madness. And I think Linda's right in the
middle of this mess. And I'd love to get Linda's take.
(25:49):
And she's got friends, and she has to go to
the city, and.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
How so she doesn't She actually doesn't have to go
to the city. She actually lives in Pennsylvania. He chooses
to go to the city. She refuses to listen to
her boss.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
I just thought she may have friends there that she
travels to the city. But you know, unless you're flying
in and taking an uber, I don't know how you're
gonna get around once. But all the transportation is going
to be full of homeless, and it's inevitable.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
Yeah, it's pretty full. Now. There's a lot of homeless. Now,
there's a lot of homeless on the subway. There's a
lot of rats on the platforms. The trains are a mess. Unfortunately,
you know, Hulkel is already a complete and utter loser,
and you know people are getting murdered, stabbed. You just
have to have your eyeballs open. Mom, Donnie's just going
to make it worse because people are going to feel
(26:37):
like they have no accountability because he's you know, going
to shut down all the prisons. We're not going to
you know, prosecute anything. So that's my bigger fear.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Well, I answer your question don that way now, Well,
I'm just so sorry it's that way now. It's it's
that it can only get worse once it's free. Agreed,
you get what you vote for, right, And my heart
goes out to those folks. But maybe we need this
for three or four years before the eyeballs are open.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
So it's rough, there's no doubt about it. I'm just
out of time, though, I appreciate your call. I want
Curtis to win to Linda. You know what, it's an
uphill battle, but I'm telling people, you got you got
to try. We've got to what we've been doing these
last three years. All right, that's gonna wrap things up
for today. Heated hearings with Pam Bondi. Today we get
reaction FBI Director Cash Bettel Todd Blanche Number two at
(27:31):
the DOJ, Lindsey Graham Tonight, Senator Kennedy, Tommy larn and
John Solomon say you DVR nine Eastern Hannity on Fox.
Will see in a night back here tomorrow. Thank you
for making this show possible.
Showing up next our final News round Up and Information
Overload hour.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
All right, News round Up and Information Overload Hour. Here's
our toll free telephone number if you want to be
a part of the program. It's eight hundred nine to
four one sean. If you want to join us, we'll
get to your calls. Coming up this hour here it
is the second anniversary of October seventh, twenty twenty three.
And you know, one of the things I often talk
(00:25):
about on this program is we live in the greatest
best country God gave man, and we often take for
granted the liberties and freedoms that so many fault bled
and died for. And it's it's natural. I mean, you
don't wake up every day, ah, I live in freedom.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
You know.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You wake up every you know, you get the kids dressed,
you get them ready for school, you pack that lunch.
You know, you you drive them to school, or you
get them to the bus stop, whatever it happens to be,
and then you go off. You put in your twelve, thirteen,
fourteen hours whatever you work every day and you come home,
you know, put a meal together quick, and then you
(01:03):
help them with their homework. And then you know, you
shuffle into bed. Hopefully you watch Hannity and your day's
done and you get up and you know, grind out
the next day, and you don't wake up and say, ah,
I live in freedom. However, when you have those quiet moments,
those reflective moments, those introspective moments which we all need
in life, you realize, Wow, we are blessed. We're blessed
(01:27):
beyond measure, blessed beyond what we deserve. And his freedom,
whose story is unbelievable, joins us. He wrote a brand
new book. We'll put it on Hannity Dot Comments, on
Amazon dot comments, and bookstores around the country. It's called
in the Name of Freedom, a political dissidence fight for
human rights in the NBA and around the world. Here
(01:48):
on the anniversary of October seventh, to talk about those atrocities.
But it tells the story of ns Kanter. And by
the way, he was honored at the Patriot Awards a
couple of years ago, and I spent time with him,
and I realized just how amazing he is and what
a life he's had. But you know, he came here
from Turkey and now he is an American citizen, Nobel
(02:12):
Peace Prize nominee, a fierce advocate for human rights, and
he paid a price for speaking out and refused to
stand as a native as his native country descended into
this authoritarian dictatorship. He made his opinion known to Erduwan
not a good guy in his regime, and they declared
him an enemy of the state. His father, still in Turkey,
(02:36):
was arrested, declared a terrorist, and his passport was revoked
as he you know, was made stateless anyway. And it's
great to have you back, sir. How are you?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Thank you for having me sewn. I appreciate it. I'm good.
How are you well?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
It's a sad day. I mean, it's a reminder, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean, we're on the brink of maybe a deal
in the Middle East, and hopefully and prayerfully we hope
that that happens and the hostages that are both alive
and debt or released, and that maybe, you know, for
the first time, Arab countries will will step up and
help that region of the world. More hope than we've
ever had in my lifetime, for sure. But why don't
(03:15):
we go through your story. Let's talk about your life
and how you had a dream, how you made it
to the NBA and how you stood up against your country.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It was actually like we all started with a promise.
I remember I was nine years old. I went balanstairs
to play with my friends who are not even teenagers,
and my friends, my little friends. They were burning American flags,
they were breaking crosses, and I remember asked one of
my friends that, guys, what are you doing. They said, well,
that's what we see on TV. We should hate America,
(03:51):
we should hate the West, we should hate the Christians.
And I'm like, what's the reason. Well, they said, well
that's what our leader says. So I remember one of
my friends gave me a flag to burn it. He
gave me a flag, he gave me a lighter and
said burn it. I remember I just looked down and
threw the flag down. I ran upstairs to my mom.
(04:13):
I was like, Mom, my friends are telling me they
hate America, I hate the West, hate the Christians. What
do I do? My mom said, I'm not going to
tell you what to do, but do not hate anyone
before you meet them. So that day I give a
promise to my mom, and literally seventeen years later, for
the first time, I came to America as a teenager,
(04:34):
I start meeting with Americans. I started meeting with Christian
people for the first time, and I had realized that
everything that I've been learning back in Turkey is just false.
So now I dedicated my whole life to inspire and
educate the young generations so they can have a better
understanding of America, better understanding of what's going on around
(04:56):
the world, because especially Middle East is the easiest way
to brainwash people to use religion. The problem is not
Islam or anything. The problem is with the politicians, and
unfortunately they uses that heat to be re elected again.
And now I'm just literally dedicated my whole life to
(05:18):
this cause so I can inspire the next generation.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
But the first time I do see hope, and I
really give a lot of credit to President Trump. You know,
this twenty point deal that he put together was not
an easy deal. There was a lot in there for
Israel that they had to swallow. A release of you know,
twelve hundred prisoners and people that they know of they're
sworn enemies, and disarming of Hamas and the return of
(05:46):
the prisoners. Well know, probably in the next forty eight hours.
If this deal is going to come to fruition. I'm hopeful.
I mean, we've never had so much hope. But he
has also built relationships with Jordan and Egypt and Saudi
Arabia and Qatar and the Emirates and other countries, maybe
not necessarily Turkey and Erdawan or although he did lecture
(06:08):
Dawan recently, which I found refreshing because I think he
needs it. I think he's become more radicalized as the
years have gone by, and why he's still a member
of NATO is somewhat surprising to me. What are your
thoughts as we as we listen to this, and I
want to play for you a pro Palestine pro haamas,
you know, as these protesters celebrate these October seventh attacks
here two years later, listen.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
O resistant storm, legal settling and paraded across colonial organs.
Sill be great from the river to the scene palasid
(06:59):
well be great. Gory to the murders, to the murders.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It was incelerating, it was nager. They were accelerating.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
By this, this challenge to the monopoly of Paris, by
this shooting of the Browns of power.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
And they would not be your Hey god.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Kay, he.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Only ers.
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Hey, I was P's Okay, that's all that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Okay, I told myself.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
From the River to the Sea means wiping Israel off
the map, you know, glory to the martyrs. You have
a mayoral candidate in New York that's leading the supports
of global Antifada. That means the elimination of Israel, wiping
it off the map, which is in Homaso's tarter.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
What's your reaction to that, you.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Know, throut all this or throt all this. I still
think that, you know, the piece is possible, And I
just I'm really like training and hoping that I hope
the President Trump will step in and just bring this
deal h in and then actually, actually we can have
peace again, because like people need to understand and there
are you know, thousands of pens of thousands of innocent
(08:43):
people all on the streets are getting hurt on both
sides actually, you know, So I just hope, I'm just
hoping that, you know, peace is possible, but we just
need strong leaders. We just need strong leaders that president
topic it like black President Trump to step in and
says enough is enough, enough killings and we got to
(09:04):
stop it. I was listening as President Trump's one of
his interview and the reporter asked them which side are
you on? Are you on? You were in no Russia sides,
and he gives an amazing answer. He said, you know what,
I just want people to stop dying. What an amazing answer.
So I just hope with this deal as well. I
(09:26):
just hope that, you know, people will stop dying because
people behind the table are the ones that given the orders,
and innocent people on the streets are the ones that
get hurts. So we got we gotta do whatever we
can to bring awareness. And also like this kind of
in this kind of protest, I see like people are
burning American flags and stuff. What what a disrespectful moon
(09:47):
that is? Like you live in America and you're disrespecting
this countries right. It just breaks my heart, man. But
I just hope that you know, peace, we can bring
peace again. I believe. I'm hopeful that it's possible, and
I hope the present trumb will step and bring the
piece again to a Middle East.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Let's go back to your personal story. You talked about
your mom and your friends burning the American flag. Let's
go to your story and how you left Turkey, how
you made it to the NBA and how your family
is still to this day paying a price because you
were not subservient to Idawan and to the radicalism.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Oh man, you know. I mean it's been eleven years, John,
literally eleven years that I have not seen my mom,
my dad, or my sister. People keep talking about me
losing my career because I spoke about China's human rights
violations and how MBA is tied up with China and stuff,
(10:51):
and let people need to understand that I wanted to
stand up for the for the human rights violation of
political prisoners in Turkey. I have not seen my family
for eleven years. They put my dad in jail. You know.
Luckily that we put so much pressure from here to
Turkey they had to let them go. No, it's been,
it's been. I think the hardest thing that I've just
(11:14):
gone through is what my family has to face. You know,
my mom and my dad.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Do you still talk to them?
Speaker 4 (11:22):
I can't because if I talk to my mom or dad,
if I pick up the phone, or if you have
any kind of connection with them, it's an act of
terrorism in Turkish government's eyes, you know. So that's why
I cannot even pick up my pick up a phone
and call my mom. You know, my brother plays basketball overseas,
(11:42):
so I have to call my brother, and my brother
has to tell me what's going on with my family.
You know, I can't even I can barely remember the
face of my mother right now. And I mean, I
understand Turkey is a very important ally to America, just
like you.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
I would say important, and they have been more important
in the past, but as they become more radicalized, less
and less important in my mind.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I mean, this is the country like Turkey, this is
the dictator that gives passport to Comma's leader so they
can go in and out of European countries. This is
the leader that gives you know, trouvelods of weapons to
Muslim brotherhood, Like when are we going to stay enough?
(12:28):
Easy enough? And we have to take concrete actions against
this regime, you know, I understand. You know, we have
an American airbase, so whether I understand Turkey is a
NATO ally and the second strongest military in NATO, Like
we cannot just let a NATO ally help the teritial
organizations out there, you know. So I hope that when
(12:50):
this all conflict ends in Middle East, presence Trump, can
you know have like a serious conversation with Ardona and
push them to care about human rights violations in this country.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
How did you make it to the NBA.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
I went to Universital of Kia, Kentucky. I want to
give a huge shout out to John Calipari. He played
a very important role in my basketball career. After attending
one year of Universal Kentucky, I got drafted in twenty
eleven by Utah Chazz and then I played basketball since
you know. And the thing is, I worked so hard
(13:27):
my whole life to get it to NBA, and I remember,
it just breaks my heart have my career ended because
I really thought we have freedom in America. But it's
crazy that I started to talk about the problems are
happening in China and now I am out of the league.
(13:48):
I mean, it blows my mind. How the biggest dictatorship
in the world like China put a pressure on one
hundred percent American made organization like NBA and fire a
US citizen. I'm just very very confused with that.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Well, stay right there, ands freedom is with us.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
He has a brand new book out in the Name
of Freedom, a political dissonance fight for human rights in
the NBA and around the world. We'll pick it up
where he left off on the issue of why he's
not playing in the NBA right now and the influence
that outside political influences that impacted him. Quickbreak right back
will continue anyway, and his freedom is with us. In
(14:29):
the name of Freedom is brand new book, a political dissonance,
fight for human rights in the NBA and around the world.
If you missed the first part of our interview, he's
not been able to talk to his family for eleven years.
He's a political exile from Turkey now an American citizen
playing in the NBA. Played in the NBA. What happened
(14:51):
that got you out of the NBA?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
What was it? In particular?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Because I remember at the time when this happened, I'm thinking,
this doesn't make sense.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Well, I didn't lose trust me. I didn't lose my
place in the NBA because I couldn't play. I lost
it because I chose to speak up. You know, when
I spoke out against all the human rights about abuses
by the Chinese government. I mean, I knew it might
cost me something, but I never imagine it will cost
me my career. You know, more people watch NBA games
in China than American population last year. So NBA makes
(15:24):
billions of dollars from Jersey sales, shoe sales, TV deals.
And this was never about politics or take inside. It
was literally about something for literally basic human dignities, you know,
for the people who cannot speak freely, who are selves
or simply wanted to live with freedom and respect. So
(15:45):
I had been a conversation with my teammates, many conversations
from the NBA front offices, and they all said the
same thing that that listen, we believe what you're saying,
but it's going to cost us millions of dollars. So
you can never say anything about the Chinese government or
nineties hypocrisies. I mean, I'm talking about the sweatshops. So
(16:11):
it's sad to me because I was twenty nine years
old when I started to speak up and my agent
called me and he said, listen, I work for you.
I don't work for the NBA, So I gotta be
honest with you. If you say another word, if you
say another word about the Chinese government, you're not going
to play basketball ever again in MBA. And this is
(16:33):
going to cost you between forty to fifty million dollars.
The choice is yours. I hang up the phone. I
never talk to him again. You know, it's crazy to
me how much how much some organization and entities, and
it's controlled by the Chinese government. I'm talking about NBA
(16:53):
and Hollywood and academias and Big Tag and farmland. So
I was like, I got to expose their hypocrisies.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
What is it about you that you would do well?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Probably maybe one percent of other NBA players would never do.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
I mean, like empathy. I put myself in other people's shoes.
While we are comfortably living in this country, living in
the most luxurious houses and eating the most delicious food,
and it's lipping in the most warmert bed. On the
other side of the world, people are losing their loved ones,
losing their lives and losing their homes, you know, especially like,
especially like people in China. I'm gonna look at Oigers,
(17:32):
three million oigers in concentration camp waiting for help. Look
at Tibetans, look at what's happened in Hong Kong, look
at Taiwan. So this was bigger than myself, bigger than basketball,
bigger than NBA. I mean, I might have loved basketball,
but I found something bigger. I've voiced a purpose and
the understanding of freedom that is not guaranteed. It's something
(17:54):
that we must defend even when it's hard, you know,
And I hope this story. You know, it costs me
like forty fifty million dollars. It cost me my basketball
career or my family. I mean, listen, I care about
the future of our country. I care about our world.
If you want to have a better and brighter future,
we have to inspire and educate the next generation. So
(18:18):
we've got to do whatever we can to tell these
people that freedom is very fragile and we should not
take it for granted, and we have to put ourselves
in other people's shoes on the other side of the world.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
What do you make of this rise of anti Semitism
in the halls of Congress? As I said, it's happening
on college campuses, it's happening, it's growing worldwide. It I
hear it in the punditry, class people on radio and
TV saying, you know, things that to me are extraordinarily ignorant.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
You know, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Sure what part of murder, rape, torture, kidnapping, beheading. As
I said, they don't understand. But what do you make
of it?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
I mean, I listen, I have so many Jewish runs
around the world, and I'm actually having conversations with many
of them, and they're scared. They're even scared to go
to a synagogue. They're scared to go outside, they're scared
to you know, even like a where a Jewish star
as a necklace. And it just it's it's horrible, man,
(19:18):
you know, it's it breaks my heart how much our
world is divided right now when people literally hate each
other with without knowing the other side. And but I
mean that's why we we need bridge builders instead of walls.
Listen as also, like people need to understand this, like
(19:39):
very clearly, like our profit, like not many people know
about this our profit profit Muhammed right, he said, when
we go to war, we have rules. When among them
go to war, we cannot kill ABIs or women, elderly people.
We cannot knock down religious temples or church. We are
(20:03):
not allowed to even chill animals or cut on trees.
And this is our profit. If someone or a group
that goes against this mentality, they don't represent Islam. So
I don't I can clearly say that Hamas does not
represent Islam. Period.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Let me ask you about this, because I think there's
a misunderstanding. I always make a distinction between Islam and
radical islamis because there is a difference. And why do
you think so many people have been indoctrinated into And
I believe one of the reasons that I think Arab
nations have been reluctant to absorb part of the Palestinian population.
(20:46):
And I've shown this on TV many, many times, is
from the time children are born, for example, in Gaza,
they are shown cartoons that depict Jewish people in the
most you know, repulsive ways. When they go to school,
I've seen school books and I've shown them on TV.
You know, basically it's like, oh, if you have ten Jews,
(21:07):
you kill seven, how many more Jews do you have
left to kill? And that indoctrination is poisoned the minds
of young children. And I think there's been reluctance and
resistance among neighboring nations to absorb that population because they
don't want the radicalization in their country. They already have
problems with radicalization, right.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
I mean, so, I mean, if you look at like
It's very funny because it doesn't happen in Turkey, but
in some of the Middle Eastern countries, in schools form
of classes, feel like you have an American flag and
if you don't step on this flag, you're not even
allowed to You're not even allowed to attend the class,
and you will get bullied the rest of the school years,
(21:48):
you know. So it starts with at a very early
age when these dictatorships, unfortunately just brainwashes the populations that
who are on a dated and then and then pictures
to West as A as a demon, you know, as
a as a monster, and every kid growing up is
(22:10):
believing that and like Islam itself is not the problem.
The extremism is, you know, and people who uses Islam
or the Holy Book of Crown to brainwash people is
the problem. Or the Islam itself is not the problem,
you know, because Islam is keep I mean according to
(22:32):
what I read that. I mean, I just told you
that before we cannot like go to wars and do
what Hamas did, or do what hespitalizes doing, or do
what isis is doing, you know. So I hope to
me that people understand the true meaning of Islam. And
(22:53):
just just trying to wipe out that radicalism or extremism
in our in our society.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Well, it's pretty unbelievable because there is a distinction and
a difference, and I you know, we all have to
eventually just come to terms with and understand that we
have to live together. And do you see that day
now beginning to approach Also.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Like I mean, radical ideologies feed on hate and power,
not on faith or I think spirituality. Also, like I
think extremeism, like many played religion for political personal gains,
and that's what all the all the leaders of those
groups are doing. It. They twist like teachings to justify violence.
(23:42):
So no true faith calls for the killing of innocence
or no true believers celebrates suffering. So if someone does that,
they don't represent true Islam.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Yeah, well, I've really urge people.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
First of all, you're a very special human being, and
I really urge people to get a copy of your book.
It's called in the Name of Freedom, a Political Dissonance
Fight for Human Rights in the NBA and around the world.
It's on Hannity dot com right now, it's on Amazon
dot com right now, and it's in bookstores now as
of today all across the country, and you know, you
(24:20):
don't really meet many people that really stand on core
values and principles and put it all on the line,
and as you're one of them. And I applaud you
for all that you have been doing and will do
as you continue your incredible journey. I think God obviously
has big plans for you in your life, and you're
an inspiration everybody, And I just want you to know
(24:40):
how much we appreciate you. I hope everyone will go
out and get this book and read it and have
a deeper understanding and appreciation of the blessings of liberty
that we were born with and probably too often take
for granted.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And it's freedom. Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Man.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Eight hundred and nine four one, Shawn our number if
you want to be a part of the program. Don
is in Oklahoma, Don High, How are you glad you called?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Star?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Hey, Sean, thanks for taking my call. My pen drop
is actually out far western Oklahoma with some of the greatest,
friendliest patriots in the country, right up there with the
people of South Alabama. My heart goes out to the
people in New York City, because man Donnie's gonna soon
(25:28):
make good on his promise to make bus rides free
in the city. But the problem is there won't be
any seats on the bus because it'd be full of homeless.
Air conditioning in the summer, heated in the winter. It's
gonna be madness. And I think Linda's right in the
middle of this mess. And I'd love to get Linda's take.
(25:49):
And she's got friends, and she has to go to
the city, and.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
How so she doesn't She actually doesn't have to go
to the city. She actually lives in Pennsylvania. He chooses
to go to the city. She refuses to listen to
her boss.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
I just thought she may have friends there that she
travels to the city. But you know, unless you're flying
in and taking an uber, I don't know how you're
gonna get around once. But all the transportation is going
to be full of homeless, and it's inevitable.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
Yeah, it's pretty full. Now. There's a lot of homeless. Now,
there's a lot of homeless on the subway. There's a
lot of rats on the platforms. The trains are a mess. Unfortunately,
you know, Hulkel is already a complete and utter loser,
and you know people are getting murdered, stabbed. You just
have to have your eyeballs open. Mom, Donnie's just going
to make it worse because people are going to feel
(26:37):
like they have no accountability because he's you know, going
to shut down all the prisons. We're not going to
you know, prosecute anything. So that's my bigger fear.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Well, I answer your question don that way now, Well,
I'm just so sorry it's that way now. It's it's
that it can only get worse once it's free. Agreed,
you get what you vote for, right, And my heart
goes out to those folks. But maybe we need this
for three or four years before the eyeballs are open.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
So it's rough, there's no doubt about it. I'm just
out of time, though, I appreciate your call. I want
Curtis to win to Linda. You know what, it's an
uphill battle, but I'm telling people, you got you got
to try. We've got to what we've been doing these
last three years. All right, that's gonna wrap things up
for today. Heated hearings with Pam Bondi. Today we get
reaction FBI Director Cash Bettel Todd Blanche Number two at
(27:31):
the DOJ, Lindsey Graham Tonight, Senator Kennedy, Tommy larn and
John Solomon say you DVR nine Eastern Hannity on Fox.
Will see in a night back here tomorrow. Thank you
for making this show possible.
The Sean Hannity Show News
Host
Sean Hannity
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