Enes Kanter Freedom blasts Lebron over Griner comments, two Russian teammates testify for Griner in court, Suns match pacers $133 million offer to Deandre Ayton, and NBA Commissioner wants to lower the age limit to 18.
Enes Kanter Freedom blasts Lebron over Griner comments
Former Boston Celtics star Enes Kanter Freedom slammed Lebron James for his recent comments implying WNBA star Brittany Griner may not want to return to the United States because America isn't supporting her enough.
"She’s been there over 110 days," James said last week on his YouTube talk show, The Shop: Uninterrupted, ESPN reported.
"Now, how could she feel like America has her back? I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?’"
After James' comment stirred up controversy, he clarified them in a tweet, stating: "My comments on “The Shop” regarding Brittney Griner wasn't knocking our beautiful country. I was simply saying how she’s probably feeling emotionally along with so many other emotions, thoughts, etc inside that cage she’s been in for over 100+ days! Long story short #BringHerHome."
Freedom tells James: "You are free to leave...Keep taking your freedom for granted"
But despite the walk back, Enes Kanter Freedom, who changed his last name, wasn't having it and laid into James in a tweet, the Daily Wire reported.
"That was the word that I fought for my whole life. You call it a step back, we call this a walk back. You are free to leave buddy or you can even volunteer for an exchange for her. Some people literally have NO idea what it is like to live in a dictatorship. Keep taking your freedom for granted."
Griner court hearing: Two Russian teammates testify as character witnesses
Brittany Griner appeared in a Russian court on Thursday in her ongoing trial for possession of a cannabis substance, a charge she pleaded guilty to last week and carries a maximum sentence of up to fifteen years in prison.
Two members of the Russian club team appeared as character witnesses, telling the judge she has been an exemplary player and citizen during her six seasons in Russia, ESPN reported.
Griner's teammates from UMMC Ekaterinburg, Evgeniya Belyakova, and Maxim Ryabkov, the team's general manager, spoke on her behalf.
"Our task today was to tell the court about her characteristics as an athlete, as a person, tell about how she played a big role in the success of the Ekaterinburg club and Russian women's basketball as a whole," Ryabkov told reporters outside the courthouse. "Today is the first day when we have seen our basketball player since February. Thank God, she feels well, looks good."
"I can say that Brittney has always been a very good teammate, so my role here is just to be with her, to support her," Belyakova told reporters outside the courthouse. "We miss her very much. We miss her energy. I was very happy to see her, and I hope this trial will be over soon and with a positive outcome."
The trial is still ongoing and attorneys for Griner expect it to continue at least until August.
Suns match pacers $133 million max offer to Deandre Ayton
The Suns are matching the four-year, $133 million max offer sheet the Indiana Pacers gave their starting center, DeAndre Ayton, CBSSports reported. The Pacers had 48 hours to make a decision and signed Ayton to the offer sheet immediately after being presented with the offer.
As Ayton can no longer be signed and traded this off-season or until January 15, 2023, he will remain in Phoenix for the time being.
NBA commissioner wants to lower the age limit to 18
While speaking at his annual news conference, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he is in favor of lowering the age limit of the league from 19 to 18 years old and was "hopeful" the limit would be dropped at the league's next collective bargaining agreement, CBSSports reported.
"I think there's an opportunity [to change it]," Silver said. "It's [based on] larger conversations than just whether we go from 19 to 18, but I'm on record: When I balance all of these various considerations, I think that would be the right thing to do and I am hopeful that that's a change we make in this next collective bargaining cycle, which will happen in the next couple years."