Enes Kanter is a very passionate,outspoken and loyal person.
He takes the “us vs them” mentality to the extreme and does not back down from letting those he is in opposition know it.
From his disapproval of the government in his home country of Turkey (he has a point) and his run-ins with opposing players on the basketball court, Kanter is never afraid to stir the pot on social media.
He did so again this weekend, using another opportunity to prod LeBron James after the Cavaliers 148-124 loss at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
He tweeted this after the game:
148 ???#StriveForGreatness?
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) January 20, 2018
Apparently Kanter’s teammates have advised him to pump the brakes a little bit and not prod the league’s best player, but as you can surmise from this quote from ESPN.com about the situation, Kanter isn’t phased:
“One texted [teammate] me just to say — I’m not going to say who — but he texted me ‘You’re about to get 50 dropped on you, boy.’” Kanter said before Sunday’s matinee against the Los Angeles Lakers. “I responded something back, but I’m not going to say what it is.”
Trash talk has always been a part of the game and can be fun, but Kanter’s borders on disrespect and frankly immaturity.
LeBron is a little more cerebral in his reactions and responses to these sort of things typically, so you can expect a little extra effort and motivation when he and the Cavaliers face the Knicks again at Madison Square Garden on April 9.
Especially if Kanter, a far below average defender, actually has to switch out on to James throughout the game.