Enes Kanter Freedom, a professional basketball player and human rights advocate, has used his platform to raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s abuses. Using his shoes on the court as a canvas, he highlighted issues like the Uyghur genocide, the Tibet occupation, and Nike’s slave labor in Chinese factories. Banned from China and dropped by NBA teams, his perseverance gained international media attention, informing fans about global human rights struggles. Initially known for criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he faced government backlash, being labeled a “terrorist,” losing his passport, and being disowned by his family. In late 2021, he officially changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom. He won the Ronald Reagan Foundation Freedom Award, the Lantos Human Rights Prize and the 2022 Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent for his dedication to the struggle for freedom and pointed criticism of dictators.