Enes Kanter’s jersey from his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder hangs in the office of Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma. He talks about the NBA with Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat known throughout the Senate as a basketball devotee. He’s discussed Interpol red notices with Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and joked about Boston sports fans with Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass.
Then last week, Kanter, a power forward for the Boston Celtics, stood shoulder to shoulder with Wyden and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., in the Capitol as they introduced human rights legislation aimed at Turkey.