WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

❚ ‘‘We will always respect and support all of our players’ constitutional rights and freedom of expression.’’ Tony Clark, executive direction of the Major League Baseball Players Association.

❚ ‘‘The positive is that people are now talking about some very important problems. There are serious issues of inequality and injustice in this country.’’ Detroit Pistons NBA coach Stan Van Gundy.

❚ ‘‘You can’t get more insulting than that. That wasn’t a shot at NFL players, that’s a shot at

humanity.’’ The Phoenix Suns’ Tyson Chandler on President Donald Trump’s description of protesting NFL players as ‘‘sons of bitches’’.

❚ ‘‘Misguided and ungrateful.’’

American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan criticises the protesting players.

❚ [The player protests] don’t ‘‘wash with millions of military veterans who have and continue to wear real uniforms on real battlefields around the globe.’’ Keith Harman, national commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

❚ ‘‘We have your back.’’

Democratic Rep Hakeem Jeffries of New York in a message for athletes and coaches.

❚ ‘‘I feel proud to be from a country where we have the right to be able to say how we feel, speak up for what we believe in.’’ Gus Kenworthy, an American Olympic freestyle skiing silver medallist who revealed two years ago that he is gay.