The silent protests in the NFL have been making a lot of headlines as of late. Taking a knee during the singing of the national anthem has been the most popular choice for athletes who want to make a stand against different social issues the country is currently facing. With the NBA preseason already underway, many have had their eyes trained on how the players are going to react.
So far, no one has taken a knee yet, but newly-acquired New York Knicks big man Enes Kanter wanted everyone to know that if he had it his way, he’d also take a knee. He added, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, that he is saddened by the issues concerning justice and equality in the U.S.
“If they would’ve left it up to me, yes, I would’ve taken a knee,” Kanter said after his debut with the Knicks. “But as a team, we decided not to take a knee. The most important thing in America is equality and justice. If you don’t see these two things in America, I feel really bad, I feel really sad inside.”
The Turkish international also shared that despite the league office wanting all players to avoid taking a knee, he still would’ve done it if one of his teammates did the same.
“I was just talking with one of my teammates, saying, ‘If you’re going to do it, I’ll do it,’ I understand that the NBA just put out a statement saying nobody is taking a knee or whatever. But I’m really feeling bad for people out there that’s fighting for what’s right. I think what they’re fighting for is what’s right. I have problems with my own country. I feel like whatever we believe, fight for it. Because if you look at America, there’s freedom of speech, and you can protest peacefully.”
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