Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
A lot of young players don't really know much about the history of the game and a lot of them are missing out on what the game is all about, especially the whole concept of sportsmanship and teamwork.
I never rushed the fact that I wanted to be in the NBA or rushed the fact, you know, they asked me about the NBA. I always (unintelligible) back to the fact that I just love playing with my teammates.
Dunking is something guys care more about than girls, There's something about jumping that seems to fascinate guys. Girls are more, like, 'As long as the ball goes in, who cares how you got it there?'
You're not going to look at Paul and see him slacking, not carrying his weight. All the other stuff, 'Paul doesn't lead' and all that? That's fine. Go grab guys that lead, then. Let me help them lead.
I remember I didn't know who Jason Williams was, and he got drafted ahead of me. It was just weird. I thought I'd be in the top five, and I slipped all the way to 10, so it was a strange night for me.
The fishing is a great relief for me. When I'm out there's no cell phone ringing. I'm out there fishing with bears. I'm in the middle of God's country catching tons of fish. I just absolutely love it.
I had some moments in my career where I'd walk on the court, and I look around and feel, 'Oh, I'm the best one out here.' But then you go on another court, and you could be the worst player out there.
It was truly an enjoyable moment in my life that I will never forget having the opportunity to play for two gold medals. But I think nothing sticks out more than winning a championship in 1991 for me.
You gotta fight all the karate guys, and once you kill them off, now you gotta get to the ninjas. Once you get through the ninjas, now you gotta get to the showmen. Now me, I'm the showman of big men.
I learned how quickly I actually released my shot off the dribble. I know that's something I work on, and really use in games, but I didn't know exactly how quick it was, down to like the millisecond.
The Spurs, obviously - you look at an organization like that and say that's what you want to be consistent, because they've become consistent. That's what you start striving for night in and night out.
I want her to understand that it's going to be a factor in her life. I just want her to know that (racism) does exist, and I want her to always be diligent, and if she sees it, address it and fight it.
I'm a firm believer in quiet confidence. By that I mean knowing inwardly that you are good, and not exhibiting a boastful attitude outwardly. If an athlete doesn't believe in himself, no one else will.
The biggest thing, and what I told some of the partners in the summit, was me thanking them for their constant support with everything that I've been through the last couple years on and off the court.
I have the mind-set that a guard can't stick me. So I watch the bigs and see how they like to play. If you're a shot blocker, then I jump into you. If you take charges, then I pull up for the midrange.
When you look at myself, I'm a coach, and that's what it's all about. When you're a player, you get criticized, and when you're a coach, you get criticized even more because it's about wins and losses.
I worry that business leaders are more interested in material gain than they are in having the patience to build up a strong organization, and a strong organization starts with caring for their people.
Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and nobody truly knows that but you. But you are what matters most.
Friendship is two-sided. It isn't a friend just because someone's doing something nice for you. That's a nice person. There's friendship when you do for each other. It's like marriage - it's two-sided.
Timing is everything in this league, and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I never lost my confidence. Atlanta was changing coaches and systems. I knew they'd make personnel changes.
For years I've been seeing my young brothers wearing Scarface T-shirts, John Gotti T-shirts, Rick James T-shirts. We don't have any icons or idols to look up to, just rappers and professional athletes.
Am I responsible or are you', a senior official asked his pilot, dubiously beginning a flight to Baghdad, 'for seeing that this machine is not overloaded?' 'That will have to be decided at the inquest.
When we were in Egypt, we were refugees. My family and I were homeless. For five years, out of all of the countries in the world that my father was contacting, the only one that took us in was England.
The important thing is this Just because I'm doing well doesn't mean that they're going to do well if they get HIV. A lot of people have died since I have announced. This disease is not going anywhere.
I met wonderful people playing in the NBA. Whether it is the officials, the scorekeepers, all the people who work for the NBA, not just for the Lakers, but I'm talking about just for the league itself.
I'm building shopping centers and movie theaters in the inner cities. So that means supplying jobs and letting blacks understand that we have to build our communities back, not looking to anybody else.
I wanted to play in New York when I was in my prime and I was young, fierce, lock-down [defender]. Madison Square Garden, that would have been sick. But right now, China is way more adventurous for me.
I'm satisfied with the way I play, but I don't evaluate my performances. I worry about what I can contribute defensively. I don't need to score. As long as we win, I don't care how many points I score.
When you've got a guy that's going to look for you, you run. A lot of people think I can't run, but my thing was I wasn't going to be running if you're not going to throw it. I know Nash will throw it.
As bad as I disagreed on stuff, I wanted to get a technical foul, but I didn't. When guys on the team see me get technical fouls, it tends to trickle down to the team. I just took it and dealt with it.
I have to always go back to Tim Horton's, it's my favorite spot. I remember growing up as a kid - my mom, every Saturday morning she'd go the hairdresser and she'd give me two dollars to go buy donuts.
I am a basketball player, and I would like to focus my energy on basketball. The other things, I would rather not do. It is not something I am greatly interested in, but I know it is my responsibility.
As far as how I expressed 'practice, practice, practice' over and over again, I wouldn't take that back because, obviously, that sound bite is great for the media and for the fans, because they love it.
In street ball, you really don't care about playing defense, unless it's some kind of flashy steal or a big block where you bat the ball across the court, but all you're really worried about is scoring.
I don't think the Whataburger would dunk on the In-N-Out Burger, but I never really liked Whataburger or all the other burgers. McDonald's is decent, I guess, but no, the In-N-Out Burger kills them all.
The trash-talking, I think I would like to take that back. I really didn't want to get known as that, but that was just the way I was, the way I grew up back in Oakland, Calif., back on the playgrounds.
When I leave the NBA, I don't want my legacy to be, 'He won a championship ring.' I want my legacy to say: 'He played for the people. He gave everybody in the world hope that they can be just like him.'
When I leave the NBA, I don't want my legacy to be, 'He won a championship ring.' I want my legacy to say, 'He played for the people. He gave everybody in the world hope that they can be just like him.'
Everything is mental, but if you just remember to stay with your same technique, you will be fine. If you stay confident, make sure you are doing the same thing over and over; the free throws will fall.
I don't want to be one of those guys that people just talk about. I'm not good with people talking about me. I'd rather be the guy that just goes out and proves himself, and there's nothing left to say.
I can't even go down to the park anymore back home in Newark, New Jersey because my homeboys won't let me play. They tell me I'm too big time, too Hollywood, so they won't let me play out there no more.
I used to, in the summertime, spend so much money doing a lot of fun stuff. Now, I'm actually consciously trying to save so we can live how we want to live after basketball. I've even sold a few things.
Remember this your lifetime through: Tomorrow there will be more to do. And failure waits for all who stay With some success made yesterday. Tomorrow you must try once more, And even harder than before.
But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys.
Well, I mean, to me, I think my ultimate - my ultimate goal is winning championships and - and I understand that me going down as one of the greats will not happen until I, you know, win a championship.
Having a record company and putting out my own CD. There's clothes and shoes. There's also an upcoming book deal that I'm trying to do. I'm trying to be positive. I'm a big fan of the Nobel Peace Prize.
If the angle you're going at is there's some kind of quid pro quo - there isn't. Business is business, and people are allowed to make money. Looks can be deceiving, because there's no quid pro quo here.
A lot of people that I've had around me have been my closest friends since junior high, back when we were exchanging each other's clothes, staying at each other's houses. That was before I had anything.
I want to make it clear, I'm not whining, and the Celtics owe me nothing. But having said that, you would think at least I would have a conversation about a coaching job, since that's what I want to do.
It represents a Bible verse I wear on my shoe. Philippians 4:13. It says 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' It's also my mantra, how I get up for games and why I play the way I do.