Former President George W. Bush wrote Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter Freedom a letter congratulating him on becoming a U.S. citizen.

Freedom passed his citizenship test in late November and changed his last name to "Freedom" to celebrate.

ENES KANTER FREEDOM SAYS NBA OFFICIALS PRESSURED HIM OVER 'FREE TIBET' SHOES

"Congratulations on becoming a United States citizen. I appreciate your commitment to the founding ideals of our Nation," Bush wrote. "America is a great land of freedom and opportunity. We are blessed by the diversity of our citizens, and I encourage you to embrace this chance to add to our country's proud heritage."

In a tweet showing the letter, Freedom said he was honored and will never take his freedoms in the U.S. for granted.

Freedom has been an outspoken critic of human rights abuses in China and Turkey, with his criticism of the latter resulting in him losing his passport. The Turkish government also retaliated against his family members and forced his parents to disown him publicly. He says he has not seen his family since 2015.

He drew national attention for his criticisms of China for human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and its policies on Tibet. In November, he wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in response to human rights abuses in China.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While the NBA was largely supportive of his protests against Turkey, Freedom said he felt pressure from NBA officials over his comments on China.