It is a message Serge Ibaka wants to resonate from Orlando to Brazzaville and everywhere in between, a global message from someone who is very much a citizen of the world.
The veteran Raptors forward will wear “Respect Us” on the back of his jersey when the team resumes the interrupted NBA season — the have their first scrimmage Friday — because of the universality of the statement.
“I came to this decision because earlier in the year I was going everywhere and I feel like we need respect,” Ibaka said during a post-practice teleconference with reporters on Wednesday.