In the NBA, foreign players try to understand social 問題/発行するs

Andrew Bogut grew up in a richly diverse area of Melbourne, Australia, and has 概算の that he went to school with people from nearly 100 different 国籍s.

He has 情愛深く referred to his home as a tolerant and inclusive community, one 大部分は devoid of racial 緊張 that many of his NBA チーム仲間s 直面するd growing up in the 部隊d 明言する/公表するs. But Bogut and other international players have been on the periphery, if not part of, discussions in locker rooms as their チーム仲間s 演説(する)/住所 social 問題/発行するs like police brutality and racial profiling, 関心s that 誘発するd Colin Kaepernick to begin ひさまづくing during the nation 国家 in September.

When Bogut 報告(する)/憶測d to training (軍の)野営地,陣営 with the Dallas 無所属の政治家s and the 支配する of 国家 抗議するs started to surface, he said he couldn't really identify with the 苦境 of some of his African-American チーム仲間s who were considering joining the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and others in the demonstrations.

FILE - This Oct. 21, 2016 file photo shows Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut, front, working the ball inside for a shot as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jo...

FILE - This Oct. 21, 2016 とじ込み/提出する photo shows Dallas 無所属の政治家s 中心 Andrew Bogut, 前線, working the ball inside for a 発射 as Denver Nuggets 中心 Nikola Jokic defends during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game in Denver. 概略で 22 パーセント of NBA players were born outside the 部隊d 明言する/公表するs. As the season is 始める,決める to begin and talk of demonstrations during the 国家の 国家 continue, international players have sought counsel from their African-American チーム仲間s to try to relate to problems they never experienced growing up in their countries. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, とじ込み/提出する)

"I think it's a country that prides itself on 解放する/自由な speech," Bogut said of the U.S. "And if ... they want to do that it's more than their 権利. On a personal level, I know there's a lot of history here that goes centuries 支援する that I don't really relate to too much growing up in Australia."

Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic, who is from Slovenia, doesn't fully しっかり掴む it either.

"It's 肉親,親類d of hard for me to understand, since I'm coming from a different country," Dragic said. "But if those things were happening in my country, of course I would have something to say ― while 存在 true to the country, because that's where I grew up and they gave me everything."

公式の/役人s in teams' 前線 offices and at league (警察,軍隊などの)本部 have had 現在進行中の discussions with the players union about what do. Both 味方するs appear to be more 焦点(を合わせる)d on developing プロの/賛成の grams to 演説(する)/住所 social 不正s rather than demonstrations like Kaepernick's public 陳列する,発揮するs during the 国家.

But that doesn't mean there won't be 抗議するs as the league tips off its 最新の season on Tuesday night. The NBA has long embraced a 評判 for 存在 the most socially conscious league in the 部隊d 明言する/公表するs, but there is a 支配する in the 集団の/共同の 取引ing 協定 that 要求するs players to stand respectfully for the 国家.

Many of the 概略で 22 パーセント of the league's players who come from outside the U.S. are white Europeans or Australians and do not have the same 視野s that their African-American チーム仲間s had growing up here even though racial 不平等 is a problem that 存在するs throughout the world.

Dragic had conversations with several of his 黒人/ボイコット チーム仲間s before the Heat decided to lock 武器 during the 国家 in the preseason in a show of まとまり. It is 極度の慎重さを要する, コンビナート/複合体 ground to navigate and 要求するs a 深い understanding of the 問題/発行するs before チーム仲間s feel comfortable enough to put themselves out there.

"I understand that we're putting a message out there for society to be better," Dragic said. "But at the same time, we don't disrespect the 旗 or the 国家の 国家 and I think that's good. We don't want to be too 積極的な but at the same time we want to let people know that something wrong is happening out there and we want to 訂正する those things."

LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade got things started with a call for 活動/戦闘 at the ESPY awards in July, and Anthony 組織するd a town hall 会議 later that month. There have been many other 成果/努力s, 含むing the Chicago Bulls hosting their second 年次の basketball tournament geared toward creating 対話 between the police and the community and new Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale helping 生き返らせる the city's Police 運動競技の League, which helps 助言者 法律 施行 on how to become coaches in 青年 leagues.

"I've thought a lot about this, and (NBPA (n)役員/(a)執行力のある director) Michele Roberts and I have talked a lot about these 問題/発行するs, that there may be no organization in our society better positioned than the NBA and its players to try to have an 衝撃 on these difficult 問題/発行するs 疫病/悩ますing many of our cities," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last week.

It isn't just foreign players and African-Americans in the NBA who are engaging.

"For me, I can't 本人自身で understand what some other players go through," said Minnesota Timberwolves 中心 Cole Aldrich, who grew up in the predominantly white Minneapolis 郊外 of Bloomington. "I grew up 異なって than (Serbian Nemanja Bjelica) or (African-American) Karl-Anthony Towns or whoever. I 本人自身で love ... trying to broaden my (horizons) on that."

Golden 明言する/公表する 軍人s 中心 Zaza Pachulia, a Turkish 国民 born in Georgia, said he has spoken to his new チーム仲間s about the 現在の 気候.

"Draymond (Green) said it the best. We can show as much about this as we want but question is, what is going to be done to 直す/買収する,八百長をする the problem and 直す/買収する,八百長をする the 問題/発行するs?" Pachulia said. "That's the message already sent by individuals and by groups. Now what? Whatever we do, we do as a team."

Several foreign players remain 衝突d. Many left their native countries and have 設立する 広大な/多数の/重要な success and wealth in the NBA. But they also understand that the path some of their チーム仲間s took to get to the same place (機の)カム with difficulties ― and still を取り引きする 問題/発行するs ― that they could never imagine.

"I understand from an African-American's point of 見解(をとる) or a チーム仲間's point of 見解(をとる) if they didn't want to stand and be part of that 肉親,親類d of 抗議する," Bogut said. "But at the same time, I'm thankful America's 供給するd a lot for myself and my family. It's a 堅い one. I'm very supportive of my チーム仲間s. But at the same time, the country, much like Australia, is built on 解放する/自由な speech. Everybody has an opinion on different types of things."

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AP Basketball Writers Tim Reynolds in Miami and Brian Mahoney in New York and AP Sports Writers Schuyler Dixon in Dallas and Janie McCauley in Oakland, California, 与える/捧げるd to this story.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2015, file photo, then-Phoenix Suns' Goran Dragic attempts a layup over then-Milwaukee Bucks' Zaza Pachulia during an NBA basketball g...

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2015, とじ込み/提出する photo, then-不死鳥/絶品 Suns' Goran Dragic 試みる/企てるs a layup over then-Milwaukee Bucks' Zaza Pachulia during an NBA basketball game in Milwaukee. 概略で 22 パーセント of NBA players were born outside the 部隊d 明言する/公表するs. As the season is 始める,決める to begin and talk of demonstrations during the 国家の 国家 反対/詐欺 tinue, international players have sought counsel from their African-American チーム仲間s to try to relate to problems they never experienced growing up in their countries. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, とじ込み/提出する)

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