NBA star Enes Kanter claims Michael Jordan 'has not done anything for the Black community'
NBA star Enes Kanter appeared Sunday on CNN Newsroom With Pamela Brown and called out basketball legend Michael Jordan. Kanter, who was exiled from his native Turkey, has long been a political activist and humanitarian. He has been in the news more lately for his performance off the court rather than on it.
Last week, Kanter called out 17-time All-Star LeBron James via a message on custom basketball shoes. The shoes featured James being crowned by China’s General Secretary Xi Jinping, and questioned whether or not James has done any research on claims that alleged slave labor is used to make his Nike-branded merchandise.
Money over Morals for the “King” ??
Sad & disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice
They really do “shut up & dribble” when Big Boss ???? says so
Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research? pic.twitter.com/YUA8rGYeoZ— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) November 18, 2021
While discussing James, Kanter pivoted to the topic of Jordan.
“Not many people are talking about Michael Jordan,” Kanter said. “Michael Jordan hasn’t done anything, nothing, for the Black community in America besides just, you know, giving them money.”
Jordan founded the James R. Jordan Foundation in 1989 to help educate children. Apparently the foundation is not enough in Kanter’s eyes, given that Jordan has made over a $1 billion through his endorsement deals with Nike.
“I feel like we need to call out these athletes,” Kanter said. “At least LeBron James is going out there and being the voice of all those people who are oppressed in America. Michael Jordan has not done anything for the Black community because he cares too much about his shoe sales all over the world and America, and I feel like we need to call out these athletes and not be scared about who they are.”
CNN Newsroom airs weekdays 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m; and weekends 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4-6 p.m.
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