Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter dished out some spicy words to “haters” calling for his removal from the team.
Following their 129-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the 27-year-old big man from Turkey was asked on his thoughts about some critics saying that the team needs another big man. Kanter, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Celtics last offseason, responded by emphasizing that they are a “top-five defense” today.
Enes Kanter, in part, on the thought the Celtics need another big: “We are a top five defense (right now). Shout out to the haters.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 27, 2019
Enes Kanter has dogged through criticisms his entire career due to the his perceived one-dimensional skill set on offense and troubles on defense (most notably defending the pick and roll). The 6-foot-10 big man spent the 2018-19 season on the New York Knicks and later Portland Trail Blazers.
He was a contributor on the playoff Blazers team that reached the 2019 Western Conference Finals. Now, he's trying to make a similar run in the east in 2020, however, with the Celtics.
Kanter is averaging 8.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game this season, coming off the bench in 18 of 21 appearances. He's shooting 54.3 percent from the field, although his shot selection is mostly comprised of at-the-rim attempts and low block post-ups fueling his scoring looks.
Having battled with the Turkish government and specifically President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kanter was finally able to travel out of the U.S. for the Celtics' Christmas Day matchup with the Toronto Raptors.
To recall, Kanter had his passport revoked while in a European airport. He later sought asylum in the U.S. but hasn't played outside of the country until Wednesday in Boston's road win.
“I don’t have a home right now,” Enes Kanter told CBC News Network’s Steve Niles on Tuesday, via Benjamin Blum of CBC. “If I was anywhere else besides in America, besides Canada, yes I believe my life could be in danger because I get death threats almost every day [from] Erdogan’s goons.
Despite criticism from multiple fronts, Kanter and the Celtics are thriving and are only 3.5 games back behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the east.
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