Enes Kanter Explains Why He's skipping Knicks' upcoming London Trip

Knicks center Enes Kanter is staying back in the United States, citing concerns for his safety owing to his outspoken criticism of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Going to London? I talked to the front office. Sadly, I’m not going because of that freaking lunatic, the Turkish president. There’s a chance I can get killed out there,” Kanter said.

Enes Kanter says he won't go to London to play in Knicks-Wizards game. Says it's because of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Kanter says his life is at risk if he goes. A team official clarified Kanter can't go because of a visa issue. Backstory: https://t.co/Ro0vfYPACH pic.twitter.com/sBs6vJdkkT

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 5, 2019

Kanter explained in August that his country’s government revoked his passport due to his ties to Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, a bitter rival of Erdogan who has been exiled from the country. The Turkish government has accused Gulen of masterminding a 2016 coup d’etat which failed to overthrow the Erdogan government, an accusation that Gulen denies. Kanter feels he risks extradition to Turkey should he leave North America.

Instead, Kanter says he intends to stay back in New York and practice. In any case, the Knicks’ schedule returns to normalcy with a home tilt versus the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 21.

“It’s pretty sad that all the stuff affects my career and basketball because I want to be out there and help my team win,” Kanter added. “But just because of one lunatic guy, one maniac, one dictator, I can’t even go out there and do my job. It’s pretty sad.”

Enes Kanter says he’s not going to London with Knicks because he fears for his life due to “that freaking lunatic, the Turkish president. There’s a chance that I can get killed out there.” pic.twitter.com/NvRDSHWB4V

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 5, 2019