“I want to be one of the best players in the game.”

I want people to know what they didn’t know about me. I just wanted them to know the real side.

This was an extremely difficult decision as I take great pride in representing our country. I know that I owe it to my USA Basketball teammates to be totally invested in the experience. After going through training camp with USAB.

It’s all about knowing the balance, because I like to remain somewhat of a mystery. You need to have that, you know what I mean?

I feel like I can get a good feel for people.

I’m not the type of guy who’s just going to throw the ball inbounds to a guy who’s wide open. I can make the right pass.

I was always in the gym. People would look at me crazy because I spent so much time there. But that’s what it was about. I’m glad I did it.

How I grew up, everybody was telling me, “You can’t do this, you can’t get tattoos, you’ve got to look a certain way.” Now, I’m like, “Why?”

I love playing it, I just never thought I’d make it to college, NBA, or be standing up here today. It is a surreal feeling. So many people doubted me and motivated me.

I probably play games more than I practice.

Every memory I have from when I was a kid involves basketball.

So many people doubted me. They motivated me every single day, to be, who I am.

If I’d gone straight to the NBA, I don’t think I would have been ready as a player or a person.

You know, I don’t want to stand out too much.

I pray for you every night. You’ve taught me to feel confident in myself, believe in myself that I can do it when I didn’t think I could do it.

I can score the basketball, but I think I can pass pretty well or I can make the correct pass.

I’ve heard a few times, in three or four years, this league is going to be yours. I don’t like that. Because I think I’m established now.

To get the best results you must talk to your vegetables.

You must be worthy of the best, but not more worthy than the rest.

I’m never the kind of person who’s sitting at home reading the charts and basing how I feel about myself or even my career on stats. I’ve always based it on, ‘Am I doing the best that I can do?’

You can only do what ONLY YOU can do. Do that. The universe will configure around your very best efforts. Willingly.

Talk with your daughters, Play with your sons. You need to be a better friend to them than anyone else. This society offers lots of evil friends. Before they make those kinds of friends, they need to find their best friend in you.

Fulfilling your vision for the best year of your life requires thought and introspection. It is not much different than planning an awesome vacation. It takes time, discussion, planning, decision making, and an array of other skills.

We have spent the best part of the past century enthusiastically testing the world to utter destruction; not looking closely enough at the long-term impact our actions will have.

I give myself permission to be all that I can be, and I deserve the very best in life.