MIAMI -- Whatever the Detroit Pistons decide to do when it comes to protests that call for societal change this season, theyll have the support of coach Stan Van Gundy.Hes urging them to make an impact.As NBA teams began gathering Friday to start training camps -- three teams hold their first practices Saturday, while 27 others get going in the coming days -- an issue each is addressing is how players and coaches can help create substantive change in cities across the country. The NBA and the players union urged teams this week to develop ideas in a memo this week.No one can be happy with whats going on right now, Van Gundy said Friday. I like what (Golden State coach) Steve Kerr said. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, I dont think a thinking person can say, `This isnt a problem. I mean, were shooting unarmed people -- and youve got to think largely, they are seen as threats largely because of their race. I mean, its hard to fathom.Similar sentiments have been expressed around the league for months, as the list of U.S. cities dealing with protests -including Baltimore, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, Ferguson, Missouri and now Tulsa, Oklahoma and Charlotte -- over the death of black men at the hands of police.Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul talked openly about it in July, standing side-by-side on television. At media days Friday in Oklahoma City, Houston and New Orleans, it was a major topic. Around the rest of the league, itll be the same Monday.In a league where about 75 percent of the players are black and some have enormous social-media followings, plenty of eyes will be on the NBA to see what it does after NFL players and some athletes from other sports have taken to kneeling during national anthems or raising a fist in an effort to spark discussion about race relations and other matters.Were not looking forward to protesting stuff, New Orleans Quincy Pondexter said. Were looking forward to solutions.The NBA has a rule saying players and staff must stand for the playing of the national anthem, and 20 years ago Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was suspended for a game for refusing to stand for the anthem. Abdul-Rauf, who did not respond to interview requests this week, said then that he felt the flag was a symbol of oppression.Despite that rule, which the NBA did not mention in its memo to teams, Houstons James Harden said protests on NBA courts are possible.The Rockets All-Star called the decision by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to kneel or sit during the anthem a powerful statement.Hes standing up for what he believes in, Harden said. Devastating that all these people are just dying, dying for no reason. Families are grieving, just a tough situation, especially from men and women who are supposed to be protecting us. But each individual has their own beliefs on how they go about handling it and youve got to respect it.Harden said Rockets players will decide what to do individually. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry wants the Pelicans to have a unified approach, a stance echoed by New York Knicks President Phil Jackson.We want them to do something that they all feel genuine about, Jackson said.New Orleans center Anthony Davis said seeing frustration and violence in recent months has prompted him to become even more community-minded, with hopes that actions go deeper than any words could.We have the power to do stuff other people cant, Davis said. So I think we have to use that.For Van Gundy, it goes much deeper than just reacting to shootings.He spoke at length about urging the Pistons to vote and how the organization responded to a water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He also talked about how Pistons forward Marcus Morris had a 6-year-old cousin injured by gunfire this summer; the boy survived, even though the vehicle he was in was caught in a flurry of crossfire.Issues like those are why Van Gundy said the question of whether NBA players will kneel for the anthem is far less important than many might suggest.Theres so much to focus on, Van Gundy said. And I think its great that we have players that want to be part of that conversation, and a lot of players that want to go beyond the conversation and be part of the solution.Finding that solution wont be easy.I dont have an answer. Nobody has an answer, Oklahoma Citys Russell Westbrook said. If that was the case, we would have fixed it.---AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York and AP Sports Writers Noah Trister in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Kristie Rieken in Houston, Cliff Brunt in Oklahoma City and Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report. Solomon Thomas Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Y.A. Tittle Super Bowl Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. http://www.49ersofficialfanshop.com/nick-mullens-jersey-sales.html . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Joe Staley Super Bowl Jersey . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Fred Warner Super Bowl Jersey . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. Australian Matt Wilkinsons faint hopes of snaring surfings world championship have taken a further blow on a nightmare opening day for the top seeds in Portugal.The 28-year-old Wilkinson finished third in his first-round heat on Tuesday behind Brazilian winner Miguel Pupo, who posted the first big score of the event with an 8.17 on his second wave.It meant Wilkinson and second-placed fellow Australian Ryan Callinan failed to progress straight to the third round and faces a second round elimination heat with Frances Jeremy Flores.When I was walking in the competitors area I saw Wilko (Wilkinson) look at the waves down there so I sort of knew he would sit down the beach, Pupo said.But Ryan (Callinan) and I had waves after waves and luckily I got the one with the double-up.Early season leader Wilkinson headed into the penultimate World Surf League event in Peniche as a title outsider, ranked third behind championship-leading Hawaiian John John Florence and Brazils Gabriel Medina.Boosting matters, however, was the poor showing of bothh Florence and Medina - who were also forced into knockout round two matchups.ddddddddddddWilkinson sits 9900 points behind Florence on the championship leaderboard with 10,000 points awarded for each tour event winner.South African Jordy Smith, fourth on the leaderboard and also a mathematical chance of becoming world champion, successfully launched his campaign with a win over Flores and American rookie Kanoa Igarashi to advance straight into round three.Meanwhile, Australias Josh Kerr claimed the days equal-highest combined heat total with a 15.90 out of 20.The only game plan I have when theres like little wedgy peaks like this is to just go out and have a free surf, Kerr said of the inconsistent surf, after registering his two best scores on a big frontside aerial and a backhand tube.Fellow Australians Joel Parkinson and Kai Otton also advanced straight to the third round with opening-day victories. 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