Enes Kanter

“I mean, Turkey is my country. You know, it's my flag. That is where we're raised... My family is born there. So that's why, like, it's tough to see that... your country don't want you.”

“Steven Adams was a very, very big fan of halal food.”

“Because the last time I saw my family was 2015. Sometimes I even forget what they look like, you know? It's so hard to communicate with them. Because Turkish police raided my house. They took electronics away, computers away. They wanted to see if I'm still in contact with my family or not. Any single text, they will all be in jail.”

“I'm definitely happy that I'm part of the Oklahoma City team, a winner team, so I think it's going to go really well in the future.”

“Before I go to those teams, I say, 'Hey, I'm a Muslim and I have to pray five times a day.' And they respect it so much that they give me a prayer room. So before the game, after the game, before practice, before I fly out, I can go to that room whenever I want and pray.”

“Constant pressure by Turkish consulates across the United States, as well as pervasive and continual harassment by the government in Turkey, has so far failed to stifle my dissent. As they increase the pressure, I raise my voice.”

“When I stepped in America outside of the plane, I said, 'I came home.'”

“I'm not a criminal or a radical. I'm not 'dangerous.' I'm a human being with opinions and beliefs that I have a right to express.”

“I receive many death threats. I used to love walking around New York City alone, but I can't do that anymore.”

“But I am a basketball player going out there to compete, I am going to try to win no matter what. That is just in my blood.”

“I understand my mother and father and sister are in Turkey, but if I stop talking, who is going to speak for the thousands and thousands of innocent people in jail?”

“My observance as a practicing Muslim in the NBA is somewhat uncommon. Since joining the league in 2011, my dedication to my faith has aroused the curiosity of teammates, coaches, trainers and fans.”

“I have a prominent platform and I want to use it to promote respect for human rights, democracy, and personal freedom. For me, this is bigger than basketball.”

“The Turkish government is very famous for hunting down those who oppose Erdogan... I just didn't really want to risk my life by going to Europe where Erdogan's long arms are everywhere.”

“I have the travel documents. I have a green card. I can go anywhere.”

“You still miss Turkish people, talking Turkish, you still miss your culture. That's why New York is the best place to be because everywhere you go there's Turkish people, your friends are here, you can go to eat Turkish food every day.”

“I am immensely blessed to be in America. This country has given me so much since I came here from Turkey as a teenager, and I feel obliged to give back to the community. I spent the summer crisscrossing the nation, holding 50 basketball camps for kids in 30 states.”

“I'm 26 years old, I'm not some 43-year-old who's just gonna watch TV all day. Of course I want to go out there, hang out with teammates, hang out with people I love, go to the beach, go hang out!”

“After I see in OKC, I see this is how NBA teams are. You know how you're like in a dream and you have a superpower and just don't want to open your eyes and end the dream? Oklahoma City's been like that to me.”

“I have a voice, and I'm trying to use it to be the voice for all the innocent people who don't have one.”