Enes Kanter Quotes

My parents both came to the United States from the Dominican Republic, and they were deeply grateful for the opportunities this country provided. They raised my siblings and me to want to make a difference and give back. They taught us to work hard and aim high, but to also make sure the ladder was down to help others climb up.

I came to the United States in the early '80s and was welcomed with open arms and given the opportunity to pursue my dreams. God has been very kind to us. My family and I are fortunate enough to be successful and we feel a tremendous responsibility and obligation to give back to our great country.

I run a bunch of charities and I say this line to people: 'I am somebody who has always been helped.' A little thing like that can make people believe it.

I've spent so much time with my dad traveling and seeing the ground-level change that we've been able to make through philanthropy and trip over trip, time over time, country over country, home after home we've been invited into, given tea, given food that people didn't have to give us, I mean all of these things.

Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.

Some people are embarrassed to say they came from East St. Louis, Ill., but now more people want to claim it. I grew up in a community center and I knew what it gave me. I always knew I wanted to give back and help people because people helped me.

We all have a responsibility, and since I've been so wonderfully blessed, I really want to share and to make life at least a little better. So every chance I get to share the gospel or uplift people, I will take full advantage of that opportunity.

Part of becoming a little bit older and having the opportunities that I have, you want to start giving back to people who have been influential and helped you along the way.

I remember, the first time I came to the United States in 1996, I didn't speak a word of English at the beginning. I am very thankful for this country and the opportunity music has given me... My three kids were born here in Miami; they speak Spanish at home, but English with all their friends.

I went from living in a house with five guys in Palo Alto, and living off their leftovers, to all of a sudden having all kinds of resources. And I wanted to figure out how I could take the blessing of these resources and share it with the world.

It's a blessing to be an NBA player and to be in a position to help other people.

I was mentored in high school through the National Hispanic Institute and I did the same for girls when I got older.

A lot of these guys come to America and baseball was their ticket to give their family a better life... They're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play this game.

Basketball is a beautiful game and it's afforded all of us in this profession so many things. To give back any time we can is gratifying.

I made the decision to play for Germany because this country gave me something and helped me during my youth.

I hope I can use everything that's being offered to me to do good in other people's lives.

Football has given me a lot and I have tried my best to give something back.

I truly think if I had stayed in England, I'm not sure I would be coaching. So what America gave me was kind of a dream and the opportunity and ability to follow that path, which I really had never dreamed about. I just feel very fortunate to be here.

My parents were engineers. In the 1970s, they came to the United States as refugees from Uganda. Seeing everything this country did for my family inspired me to want to give back through public service.

I have pursued my dream and I believe it is important to give back because I have been given the opportunity to be what I am now.

This is what being an athlete's all about, being able to give back to our community, the people that support us night in, night out.

What am I doing with the gifts that have been given and the opportunities that are mine to make things better for others? I think it's always - success has to be beyond the person who is themselves working for personal success. It's also got to be helping someone else.

It would be great to give back to this city and its youth brigade important lessons that will help them become future champions. I look forward to this opportunity.

Give something back by becoming more

I have taken my children all over the world to see things but I've also made a point that they need to give something back for being so blessed.