Quotes from Stan Van Gundy

One of the things I've said to teams and players from time to time - especially when things are going well like we had them going in Orlando - is that you better appreciate it and enjoy it because things change quickly in this game. You know, it's tough for guys to really think it will change on them, but it does.

Sometimes standing up for things that are right makes things tougher.

The hardest thing to do in this league is to get a proven star. It's just very hard to do. It's hard to do in free agency; it's hard to do in trades. You get very few opportunities to do it.

Our country was founded on protest. If it was just shut up and honor your country no matter what, we'd still be flying the Union Jack. That's not what our founding fathers did. They didn't like what was going on, and they broke away and formed their own country.

I certainly would not call myself creative. There are other coaches who are innovative and everything else. I wouldn't be that guy, that's for sure.

Holding people presumed to be innocent in jail pre-trial simply because they cannot afford to pay their bail extracts huge human and financial costs.

Everybody tries to take a tragedy and turn it to their own political purposes, and it's both sides.

Peaceful protest is a hallmark of our democracy. It has been in impetus for social change throughout our history.

People with advantages don't tend to want to give them up. If you see it as a zero-sum game, then it will never change. If only the people who are disadvantaged speak out, then it's not enough. I don't want to overshadow their voices, but I want to support.

I actually feel sorry for people who have nothing to do on Christmas Day other than watch an NBA game.

I love Greg Monroe.

Being twins goes way beyond my relationship with my brother. That's a lot deeper bond.

Obviously, race is the elephant in the room, and we all understand that. Unless it is talked about constantly, it's not going to get better... people have to be made to feel uncomfortable, and especially white people, because we're comfortable. We still have no clue what being born white means.

Josh Smith, put in the right spots, is an outstanding player. You put Josh down on the right block, in the low post or even on a short isolation - 12 feet, 15 feet from the basket - he can get to the rim. He's outstanding. He's not only a very willing passer but an outstanding passer. I think it's the best part of Josh's game.

I've always believed that. I'm not a guy who comes in with an offensive system, and we try to fit guys to it. I think it goes the other way. 'Here's who we've got. Let's put them in the right spots where they can be productive.'

I have been in a unique position to hear from players and staff members about the issues they and their families have had to encounter.

Our founding fathers declared independence from Great Britain because they were dissatisfied with the laws and policies that they believed abridged their freedoms. Had they taken the stance that many want our professional athletes to take - to just shut up and honor your country no matter what - we would be living in British colonies.

It's hard to be successful over the long term if you're not unified and there's not that synergy between coach and front office.

I don't think I'm any different than most coaches, honestly. Maybe Steve Kerr. The guy never loses.

Exacerbating the problem of mass incarceration is that, even after someone is released from prison, the stigma of a misdemeanor or felony conviction makes finding gainful employment difficult, if not impossible.

LeBron is LeBron. They're not going to call offensive fouls on him. He gets to do what he wants.

Coaches are going to adapt to whatever the rules are. The rules certainly change strategy.

There are serious issues of inequality and injustice in this country... I stand with those opposing such bigotry.

The NCAA is one of the worst organizations - maybe the worst organization - in sports. They certainly don't care about the athlete.