There’s no denying Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James holds power in what takes place around him, but a former top-3 pick took things a step further.

Enes Kanter Freedom recently shared his belief that James is the ‘dictator of the NBA.’ Agendas are being pushed more than ever about the 39-year-old’s impact on the league, largely due to the Lakers hiring his podcast co-host JJ Redick and drafting his son, Bronny, in the second round. Freedom and James also had numerous disputes throughout their time in the league together.

“When I see a dictator, I know it – LeBron is literally like the dictator of the NBA,” Freedom told FOX News. “He controls the media, he controls his narrative, if you go against his agenda, you get traded, everybody knows it.”

The media had split reactions to Freedom’s remark, with some believing this is the obvious truth while others are questioning why the retired big man has a platform to say this. He last played in the NBA in the 2022 season for the Boston Celtics. The Switzerland-born center’s wording is a bit harsh, but the message behind it has been pushed for years. Most notably, the Lakers traded away their young core to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans.