NBA star rips into Nike for being ‘silent’ on China

Enes Kanter says Nike is ‘scared to speak up’ against China and wears ‘Modern Day Slavery’ shoes in protest of Uyghur treatment

Boston Celtics centre star Enes Kanter is taken a swing at sports clothing giant Nike for remaining “silent” on China’s use of slave labor and other injustices. 

In a video posted to Twitter on Monday, Mr Kanter began by applauding Nike for speaking out against injustices occuring within the United States before ripping the sports apparel company on its silence toward China. 

“When it comes to China, Nike remains silent,” Kanter said in his message. “You do not address police brutality in China. You do not speak about discrimination about the LGBTQ community. You do not say a word about the oppression of minorities in China.”

The 11-year NBA veteran, has become a prominent critic of the Chinese government. 

China pulled the Celtics’ game telecast and highlights off the air Friday after Kanter posted a video calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a “brutal dictator.”

Has Nike responded?

Nike has not yet responded to the latest comments made by Kanter but said in a statement earlier this year that it “does not source products from the [Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region] and we have confirmed with our contract suppliers that they are not using textiles or spun yarn from the region.”