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Sports In America with David Greene

WHYY | PRX

Sports in America explores stories that shape athletes and fans alike. Each week, David Greene hosts in-depth conversations with people across the world of sports  – from the star who hits the game winner to the millions of us whose lives are touched by the game.

From WHYY and PRX.

2025

Sports in America explores stories that shape athletes and fans alike. Each week, David Greene hosts in-depth conversations with people across the world of sports  – from the star who hits the game winner to the millions of us whose lives are touched by the game.

From WHYY and PRX.

2025
28hr 19min
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Enes Kanter Freedom Won't Stay Silent

Thumbnail for "Enes Kanter Freedom Won't Stay Silent".
May 21, 202650min 4sec

Some say sports and politics should be kept separate — that athletes should just “stick to sports.” But for others, politics and sports can’t be separated at all.

This week, we sit down with Kevin Blackistone, an award-winning national sports columnist who focuses on the intersection of sports and politics. We’ll talk about why he believes it’s impossible to separate the two, how the Trump administration is showing up in the sports world today, and how athletes respond when they’re told to “shut up and dribble.”

Then we’ll hear from an athlete who’s made a name for himself by speaking out. During his 11 years in the NBA, Enes Kanter Freedom played for five teams, including the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. Enes has built a reputation as an advocate, putting human rights at the forefront of every conversation — even when it has led to personal consequences for himself and his family.

Show Notes

  1. In the Name of Freedom: A Political Dissident's Fight for Human Rights in the NBA and Around the World | Enes Kanter Freedom
  2. Enes Kanter Freedom: Why I Became an American | The Atlantic
  3. Enes Kanter’s family disowns him over Turkish political issues | NBC
  4. ‘My dad has been released’: Enes Kanter celebrates father’s freedom in Turkey | The Athletic
  5. Turkey’s Erdogan Blasts Syria, Israel | Morning Edition

Show Credits

Host: David Greene

Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler

Senior Producer: Michael Olcott

Producer: Michaela Winberg

Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa

Talent Booker: Britt Kahn

Engineer: Mike Villers

Tile Art: Bea Walling

Theme Song: Emma Munger

Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network

Transcript

Thumbnail for "Enes Kanter Freedom Won't Stay Silent".
Enes Kanter Freedom Won't Stay Silent
00:00
50:04