Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom called LeBron James the “dictator of the NBA” in an October 23 interview, intensifying his criticism of the Philadelphia 76ers star following a national anthem dispute.
Freedom also alleged that numerous players privately support President Donald Trump but avoid discussing their politics publicly. He identified no players who hold those views, leaving the wider allegations without independent confirmation.
Freedom directs sharp criticism at James
Speaking with OutKick, Freedom accused James of wielding excessive influence over the NBA’s political culture. He offered the description “dictator of the NBA” while discussing an anthem video that President Trump had also criticized.
The former Boston Celtics center argued that the league would become less politically progressive after James retires. His prediction reflected his personal assessment rather than any announced change in NBA policies or player attitudes.
Freedom’s statements combined criticism of James’ public conduct with broader claims about professional basketball. Neither the interview nor its accompanying reporting established that the four-time champion determines what other NBA players believe.
The anthem video came from Philadelphia’s opener
The disputed footage originated at Madison Square Garden on October 20, before Philadelphia faced the New York Knicks. Video showed James moving his arms and appearing to imitate a basketball shooting motion during the national anthem.
Some viewers interpreted another movement as a golf swing. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that James appeared to be stretching and that the movement’s direction did not match the right-handed player’s normal golf swing.
Philadelphia won the season opener 106-100, with James contributing 14 points and nine rebounds in his Sixers debut. Tyrese Maxey led the visitors with 28 points against the defending NBA champions.
Trump demands an apology from James
On October 22, Trump shared video of the ceremony on Truth Social and accused James of disrespecting the country. The president called the basketball star a “TOTAL DISGRACE” and demanded an apology.
His remarks added another episode to an established public disagreement. Trump and James have criticized each other for years, including exchanges during the president’s first administration about leadership, patriotism, and athletes’ public statements.
Freedom endorsed Trump’s assessment in his interview the following day. Yet the recorded movements establish only what James appeared to do during the anthem, not whether he intended to disrespect its performance.
James responds as the Sixers complete a comeback
James offered a brief response after Philadelphia’s October 22 home opener against Cleveland, describing the president’s criticism as a “slow news day at the office.” His response preceded the publication of Freedom’s October 23 interview and addressed Trump’s remarks only.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse treated the controversy as outside noise. He emphasized practice, film study and game preparation rather than debating Trump’s interpretation of the video.
On the court, Philadelphia overcame a 29-point deficit to beat Cleveland 114–106. James finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Maxey scored 32 in the franchise’s largest comeback of the play-by-play era.
Freedom claims NBA players conceal political views
Freedom asserted that some players privately favor Republican causes and Trump but hesitate to acknowledge those preferences. He attributed their silence to concern about criticism from teammates and others around the league.
The former center did not identify individuals who supposedly confided those beliefs to him. Without named accounts or independent reporting, his comments cannot establish how many active players support any particular political position.
Professional athletes have different political priorities, and public statements reveal only what individuals choose to share. Freedom’s account describes his perception of locker-room culture, not a measured survey of the NBA workforce.
Television appearances feature in his account
Freedom also recalled receiving encouragement from teammates after appearing on CNN to discuss human rights concerns in China. He said their behavior changed after he delivered a similar message on Fox News.
In his account, an assistant coach privately praised the second appearance but worried that teammates would object to the television network involved. Freedom presented the episode as evidence of pressure against differing political viewpoints.
Those conversations remain his recollections rather than independently established events. Reactions attributed to unidentified teammates cannot demonstrate that the entire league enforces a shared political position or discourages disagreement.
He also cites a conversation with Dennis Schröder
Freedom recounted asking former Celtics teammate Dennis Schröder about James’ motivations for speaking publicly on social issues. He claimed Schröder suggested that James’ advocacy primarily served the star’s own interests rather than broader causes.
That description came solely from Freedom’s retelling of the conversation. No independent confirmation from Schröder accompanied the interview, so the alleged remark should not be treated as a verified assessment of James’ motives.
The exchange also highlights how personal impressions shape Freedom’s criticism. He previously challenged James over corporate ties to China while using his own NBA platform to raise questions about human rights.
James begins his 24th season with Philadelphia
James, 41, joined the 76ers after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He entered the 2026-27 campaign as the NBA’s career scoring leader and the first player to reach 24 seasons.
Philadelphia subsequently opened 3-0 before losing 106-93 to Detroit on October 25. James scored 18 points while starting at center because Joel Embiid was unavailable, with Cade Cunningham leading the Pistons with 26.
James has indicated that the center assignment is temporary, given Embiid’s role on the roster. Meanwhile, Freedom’s predictions about the league after James retires remain opinions rather than established changes to its future direction.
TL;DR
- Enes Kanter Freedom called LeBron James the “dictator of the NBA” during an October 23 interview.
- He backed President Trump’s criticism of James’ movements during the national anthem before Philadelphia’s opener.
- Freedom claimed some NBA players privately support Trump but did not identify them or provide independent evidence.
- James dismissed Trump’s comments, while the 76ers entered October 26 with a 3-1 record.
- Freedom’s predictions about the NBA’s political culture remain personal opinions rather than verified forecasts.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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