Basketball Player Quotes

“My attitude going into training camp as a rookie was to impress. I wanted to impress my teammates, my coaches, the owners, everybody. I wanted them to say, ?This kid is special. This kid has the right mind, the right skills, the right motivation?.”

“I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it... I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it's an illusion to me.”

“It's wonderful for the players. It's a huge challenge and a huge responsibility for us to get our act together, get our butts in gear. Phil isn't going to bail us out because of our mental lapses.”

“Michael Jackson? He was something more (than one of my favorite entertainers), a true friend. He wasn't just a genius. Above all, he was a good person, who gave so much. He gave people values, he encouraged them to better themselves all the time. He was far deeper and more authentic than people could see. He was misunderstood too many times”

“It's different from being 21 and you think there's endless amount of opportunities. At 33, the ending is much, much closer.”

“The party's just getting started. This is where the fun starts.”

“Only an idiot would doubt my return”

“I realize now that there's a strength in dunking that I can use to my advantage. When you dunk all the time it isn't as demoralizing to the opponent, but when you dunk at a key moment in the game you can use it to change the momentum.”

“My parents are my backbone. Still are. They're the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.”

“If they want to win right now, I'm all for it. That's all I said the whole time. If you want to wait five years, let me know. My legs aren't as young as they used to be.”

“Sometimes I do wonder what college would have been like. But I made my decision.”

“Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.”

“I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success.”

“There's certain companies that line up with what the brand represents. There are other things that are more investment-focused.”

“You can't be held captive by the fear of failure or the fear of what people may say.”

“If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear.”

“What I'm doing right now, I'm chasing perfection... and if I don't get it, I'm going to get this close.”

“If I panic, everyone else panics.”

“Everyone looks at your watch and it represents who you are, your values and your personal style.”

“As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don't know. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be.”

“You want a CEO that understands they need to build a team around them that's sharper and smarter than they are.”

“The guy said NBA players are one in a million, ... I said, 'Man, look, I'm going to be that one in a million.”

“There’s a reason why players that have multiple championships have multiple championships. There’s a certain characteristic and an understanding and knowledge and that’s not something that’s easily taught. You kind of have to go through it and it kind of has to be part of your DNA from the beginning.”

“Dear Basketball, From the moment I started rolling my dad's tube socks and shooting imaginary game-winning shots ... I fell in love with you.”

“It's not about the number of hours you practice, it's about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice”