“I am sick of defending myself, and I am not going to keep on doing it.”

Sometimes it used to hurt so bad when people used to say stuff about me. It still does. But I’m at a level now that I’m like, ‘I ain’t surprised that they said this or that about me.’

All my tattoos are tattoos that I wanted to get, but I couldn’t afford.

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.

I don’t want to just go to the playoffs, I don’t want to go to the playoffs and win the first round, second round, and not win the whole thing because it’s bittersweet.

Everybody talks about that one when they first meet me. ‘Man, I still remember the play you shook Jordan.’ Everybody gonna always remember it because it was Jordan.

I’ve accomplished so many things in basketball. I financially secured my kids’ life and their future. I’m just happy. I’m just blessed. So anything that I’m not awarded doesn’t matter because I’ve been rewarded enough in this lifetime.

People and what they say don’t bother me like they used to. When I was younger, I really couldn’t take it because I couldn’t understand where the criticism was coming from.

If that many people recognize how hard I go every night and what I put into my game, to make myself and my team better, it means a lot to me. I’m fortunate; I’m blessed to be in the situation that I’m in right now.

I wanted my fans and my family and my friends to be proud of me.

You don’t want to hear about how much money I donate to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or to AIDS awareness or to give out scholarships. You don’t want to hear about that.

Coming into the league, if I would’ve had money, then obviously I would’ve had more tattoos.

I want to thank coach Thompson, for saving my life. For giving me the opportunity.

I used to say my biggest accomplishment was just getting drafted, whether it was the first pick or the 100th or whatever.

I don’t feel no type of way. I just understand that He helped me accomplish a lot of things in the NBA. I’ve done so many things that people thought that I couldn’t do.

I believe that whatever we have, regardless of a trade being done or not, I feel we have a shot. I’ve just got to believe that we’re going to be all right. I’ve got to just play basketball.

My mom always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. And I truly, actually believed it. And I fought.