Hedo Turkoglu calls Enes Kanter ‘irrational,’ Kanter center says Turkoglu forced by Turkish president to say that

Knicks center Enes Kanter said he wouldn’t travel to London with the team due to fear of being killed by Turkish spies. Kanter is an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and supporter of Fethullah Gulen, a Erdogan rival.

Former NBA player Hedo Turkoglu, who apparently now works for Erdogan as an advisor:

pic.twitter.com/Dv16BVHFFF

— Hidayet Türkoğlu (@hidoturkoglu15) January 7, 2019

Kanter, via Marc Berman of the New York Post:

“It’s probably not [Turkoglu], but the president making him say it,” Kanter said at the morning shootaround in Portland before the Knicks faced the Blazers on Monday. “If you look at his Twitter, it’s German, English and Turkish. It’s three languages, and he doesn’t even know German. They’re probably making him do it. He’s kind of like his puppy dog. Lap dog is better. He probably got so much money for that.”

Kanter:

This is my travel document:
It’s NOT a visa issue!!!

I CAN go to London.
Either you are delusional, or still Erdogan’s lap dog..
Keep wagging your tail@hidoturkoglu15
@RT_Erdogan #DictatorErdogan 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/UpvEG24ayu

— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) January 7, 2019

Erdogan and Gulen each accuse the other of significant misdeeds. It can difficult to determine which side is right.

But it’s probably not the regime seeking to imprison Kanter for insulting Erdogan.