Enes Kanter is an NBA player — a center for the New York Knicks. He is also one of the most prominent opponents of the regime in Turkey, led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter himself is Turkish. The regime canceled his passport, leaving him stateless. The regime has also put tremendous pressure on his family, as dictatorships do. Kanter is unable to have any contact with his family. He is maligned regularly by the (official) Turkish press. He fights back through social media.
Midst all of these pressures, Kanter has to play basketball at an NBA level — and does. He could keep silent about politics, which would make his life a lot easier — but he refuses.
I talked with Enes Kanter for my Q&A podcast, here. One of the things I asked is whether “Kanter” has a meaning, in Turkish. It does: It means blood and sweat. Which applies.