With the words on their backs, NBA players take a stand

That freedom means so much to me, not just for my country in Turkey, not just for people in America, but throughout the whole world. … My message to the whole world is, keep fighting for freedom. Keep fighting for justice. Stand for what you believe in and never back down.

Enes Kanter

It speaks out to how many more people of color are going to get killed or die at the hands of the force, of police brutality? How many more families are going to get denied housing? How many more Black men and women are going to get denied certain job opportunities? The list goes on.

Danny Green

I feel like there is so much that hasn’t been done for so many people. There hasn’t been justice for a lot of people and it’s sad and wrong.

Devontae Cacok

A lot of things just went into it, and ‘Black Lives Matter’ just seemed to be the thing that just struck a chord with me and I thought would be the most impactful.

Alex Caruso

Respect is a key factor in social injustices. We definitely need to get equality, and we definitely need to get the same respect everybody else does.

JaVale McGee

With, everything that’s going on, I feel like this is a key moment in life right now for us to make a huge impact on and off the court. Just being able to keep letting everybody know what’s at hand, and how big it is. Just because basketball is back, you can’t forget about the most important thing that went on this year.

Dion Waiters

I’m behind the movement.

Jae Crowder

I‘m just standing behind the Black Lives Matter movement. I stand behind it and support it. And I feel I have a voice and a platform to be able to push it and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.

Tyler Herro

I think it’s the most important thing for people to realize. That our lives do matter. That’s why I went with it.

Khris Middleton

I chose ‘EQUALITY’ because it reminds us that in order to have real impact and change, we need to make a conscious effort to level the playing field and create systems that are not bias based on race, education, economics or gender.

Chris Paul

Baze was talking about education reform and things like that, and I think it’s all racism — blatant racism or systematic racism — so that’s why I picked anti-racist for my jersey. I think it touches a lot of bases.

De’Aaron Fox

I picked Freedom. That’s what’s going to be on my jersey. That one words means a lot to me, whenever I see it or hear it. There’s a lot going on, and with all of this going on, until African Americans have an equal playing field, we’re not free.

Marvin Bagley III

I think it’s an important topic to keep alive. At our very first practice, we spent the first 20-30 minutes talking about it.

Jakob Poeltl

I put peace because everybody is fighting for a peace of mind especially all of the Black Lives Matter things. The whole thing that everybody is fighting for at the end of the day calls for peace for all of us. To feel that equality in all areas and aspects of life. I feel like that’s the reason why I picked that.

Jordan Clarkson

I put ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the back of my jersey to reiterate the social injustices that have been going on in our country and just to remind people that just because we’re in the bubble doesn’t mean we forget about everything that’s going on.

Troy Brown Jr.

Initially, I wanted to put ‘vote locally,’ because I am a believer in voting locally. I almost think that it has more of an impact on your life than the presidential elections. That was my message. I believe that in the system that we live in, it is the most accurate way to demand change, so I wanted to put that message.

Ian Mahinmi

Everybody should be held at an equal standard, no matter the race, no matter the gender. I think that speaks loudly to me. I was raised by my mother only, so I understand the trials and tribulations that women go through on a daily basis to a certain extent — obviously, I’m not a female. I think that it’s very important, as much as the black and white … same for [the LGBTQ] community and their equal rights. That means a lot.

Shabazz Napier

I chose to have ‘equality’ on my back just as a simple reminder to treat every single person the same way.

Anzejs Pasecniks

That is the biggest symbol of representation of what we have going on right now. … I think it’s the biggest symbol on one of the biggest platforms.

Jerome Robinson

Change is only going to be created by us who are willing to do so, who are willing to sit and have the hard conversations. Black lives matter to me because I am a Black man in America. I am a British American. One of the things that I’ve experienced in this country is pure racism, systematic racism — and it has to stop. So enough is enough.

Admiral Schofield

I feel like, coming from Europe, not a lot of people participate in politics over here in the United States. … the urgency is as high as it’s ever been. I encourage everybody to go vote. I would vote if I could here in the states.

Moe Wagner

The reason behind it was because of the Breonna Taylor incident where she lost her life while she was sleeping in bed. I just want to say her name because I think that’s really important. We need to continue to praise our women and show them love.

Jonathan Williams