Enes Kanter Changing Name To 'Freedom' After Becoming US Citizen

BOSTON — Celtics center Enes Kanter is legally changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom following him becoming an American citizen Monday.

Kanter, a near 7-foot Turkish native, is as well known for his outspoken criticism and political stances as his bruising rebounding.

The 29-year-old recently made headlines for blasting the Chinese government, in particular how it treats the Uyghur community and Tibet.

"I'm here to add my voice and speak out about what is happening in Tibet," Kanter said in a video earlier this month. "Under the Chinese government's brutal rule, Tibetan people's basic rights and freedoms are nonexistent."

In return, China banned the broadcast of Celtics games in the country — a costly result for the league and team.

Kanter also criticized NBA megstar's LeBron James relationship with Nike due to the company's alleged labor issues in China.

"We need to call out these companies. Nike, the biggest sponsor of NBA," Kanter said." In America, they stand with Black Lives Matter, Latino community, No Asian Hate, and the LGBTQ community, but when it comes to China, they remain silent."

The Turkish government has pulled Kanter's passport following his criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Kanter has broken through into the Celtics rotation in recent weeks, providing a welcome boost to a struggling bench unit.