Enes Kanter

“Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the world.”

“People often ask me why I continue to speak out if it's hurting my family. But that's exactly why I speak out. The people Erdogan is targeting are my family, my friends, my neighbors, my classmates. I need to speak out, or my country will suffer in silence.”

“Our team security said, even if you go to a supermarket, have someone with you. So everywhere I go - grocery shopping, practice, go to games, go to plays - I always have someone with me because you never know, a lone wolf, one of the crazy Erdogan supporters will do something.”

“Basketball is my escape, and I cannot bring any of my problems onto the court.”

“Professional athletes have an enormous opportunity to be a source of inspiration for the younger generation, lead by example, and prove to them that as long as you stand up for what you believe in, everything is possible.”

“Over the years, I've become accustomed to the quiet of that morning meal, a time when I devote myself completely to my faith.”

“My faith in Islam is not unlike my faith in the game of basketball: Both require immense determination, focus, passion and discipline.”

“When I look back at my basketball career, I want to say I tried to inspire as much as I could.”

“Some of my teammates and coaches don't understand what I'm doing by speaking out, but they support me, for which I am grateful. They have become part of my surrogate family here in the United States.”

“I like pressure, the boos didn't mean nothing to me.”

“I remember during the draft I went to see a lot of organizations. But after you play in New York, you don't really want to go anywhere else. The people around are so cool.”

“It was just a normal family. We were playing basketball, we were playing soccer. It was home-cooked meals, just peaceful and happy times.”

“The only time I have fun is when I'm on the court.”

“Turkey was a peaceful county, Turkey was a lovely county.”

“I'm an NBA player with no shoe deal. No endorsement deal. And I play in New York!”

“I want to stay with the Knicks. They have great fans, team, organization, people. I would love to stay here.”

“If you win in New York, you're the king of the world.”

“The players, when we get in the locker room, we talk about what's going on. And the players always see how the management or how ownership treat other players, treat other players around.”

“My father has been targeted for persecution by the Turkish government and its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, because of his association with me.”

“If I'm in America, I'm safe. I feel very safe. But if I step outside of America, it will be a very dangerous situation.”