Doc Rivers: I support my players' right to protest

If the Los Angeles Clippers want to protest for social change, their head coach will happily lead the charge.

Doc Rivers, the son of a police officer, told Dan Woike of the Orange County Register that social change is absolutely needed in the United States.

"Listen, we need social change. If anyone wants to deny that, they just need to study the history of our country ..." Rivers said. "I've said it 100 times. There's no more American thing to do than to protest. It's the most patriotic thing we can do. There are protests I like and protests I don't like. It doesn't matter. ...

"Protests are meant to start conversation. The conversation, you hope, leads to acknowledgement, and the acknowledgement leads to action. We're, right now, still in the conversation."

Rivers plans to discuss social issues with his players as the team heads into training camp, and he hopes the team can act together with a unified voice.

"I hope we do it as a group. I know whenever you protest as one solid group, the protest has more teeth if you want to protest ..." he said. "I'm supporting our guys' right to protest. I'm saying that up front. My hope is you believe it and do it for the right reasons and not just because it's a hot topic on Instagram.

"I hope it's in your heart and you believe in it. If it's something in your heart, who am I to tell you not to stand up for what you think is morally right?"