National Basketball Association (NBA) star Enes Kanter Freedom is blasting venture capitalist and minority owner of the Golden State Warriors Chamath Palihapitiya for declaring that “nobody cares what’s happening to the Uyghurs.”
In a tweet, Freedom wrote, “When [the NBA] says we stand for justice, don’t forget there are those who sell their soul for money [and] business like [Chamath Palihapitiya] the owner of @warriors, who says “Nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs.”
“When genocides happen, it is people like this that let it happen Shame!” he added.
When @NBA says we stand for justice, don’t forget there are those who sell their soul for money & business like @chamath the owner of @warriors,
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) January 17, 2022
who says “Nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs”
When genocides happen, it is people
like this that let it happen
Shame! pic.twitter.com/27j2GxGhCU
The basketball player, an outspoken critic of human rights abuses, added “Freedom” to his name and made Kanter his middle name after he became a U.S. citizen last year.
In October, he held a rally to urge lawmakers to take “tangible” actions to stop the forced labor of Uyghurs in China.
During a segment of Palihapitiya’s podcast “All-In,” Jason Calacanis, a co-host of the show, praised President Joe Biden’s policy regarding China and a “strong” statement he put out about the treatment of Uyghurs.
“Nobody cares what’s happening to the Uyghurs, OK?” Palihapitiya responded. “You bring it up because you really care, and I think that’s nice that you care. The rest of us don’t care. I’m telling you a very hard, ugly truth. Of all the things that I care about, it is below my line.”
When another co-host suggested that people care, “but it’s not top of mind for them,” Palihapitiya said, “That’s not caring.”
He went on to say he cares about the economy and climate change, but added, “If you’re asking me do I care about a segment of a class of people in a different country, not until we can take care of ourselves will I prioritize them over us…Every time I say that I care about the Uyghurs, I’m really just lying if I don’t really care.”
Watch the video below (beginning at 14:45)
Palihapitiya received criticism on social media for his comments:
Get ready to cringe so hard your teeth shatter. https://t.co/tww1K49M0F
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) January 17, 2022
Enthusiastically snatching the Worst Person in Sports Award from Novak Djokovic… https://t.co/BrvwwbKmsb
— Doug Heye (@DougHeye) January 17, 2022
https://twitter.com/TVietor08/status/1483124510471581701
This is a disgrace. @chamath says “nobody cares” about the Uyghur genocide: “Of all the things I care about, yes, it is below my line.” cc: @EnesFreedom @dmorey https://t.co/n4g6HvXjaX
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 17, 2022
The NBA has previously been accused of ignoring human rights abuses so they can continue to conduct business in China.