Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul is grateful that former first lady Michelle Obama took some time out of her busy schedule to meet with the NBA and WNBA and discuss the importance of voting.

Paul, president of the National Basketball Players Association, said it was the first time in his career that NBA and WNBA players came together for a joint call.

“The more we encourage each other to vote, not just every four years, but two years in your local elections, the more we do that, the more our voices will really be heard, the Thunder vet said, per Joe Mussato of the Oklahoman.

“Coming down here, what we have an opportunity to do is use our collective voices, obviously to spread the messages, but we also get a chance to educate each other. Guys come to a meeting to discuss things, and two guys who never had a relationship figure out that they have a common interest in whatever it may be, whether it’s financial literacy, whether it’s police reform, whether it’s education, whether it’s HBCUs. Guys can start to build together.”

Michelle Obama and Chris Paul are partners with “When We All Vote,” a non-profit and non-partisan organization that seeks to increase voter participation. The Thunder star emphasized that players will continue to put pressure on Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to charge the Louisville police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor while she was sleeping in her house.

NBA players are happy that basketball is back. They get to play the game they love again but also speak out on the racial injustices in America.

Before the season was suspended in March, Paul was averaging 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game for the Thunder in 63 starts.