Everybody needs to realize that it doesn't matter how old you are or how young you are, you still can be a Christian and live for God. It's not easy but that's why we have God's word and He forgives us when we do something we shouldn't be doing. You know, God sent His son to die for us and He paid that sacrifice so you can go to Heaven.

The toughest part for me is the city - the people. They've got burgers named after me in Orlando, they've got a Web site saying, "Please stay." I love the people in the city. I've literally sat on the bench with a towel on my head crying, because I feel the passion in the stands.

I know you can't please everybody; you can't make everybody happy, but just getting that perception that I don't care about basketball and what it brings is a lie.

The biggest thing is always being around people that are going to lift you up and not bring you down. That's why I prayed for God to send me some good friends. He's done that. I don't really have a lot of friends, but the friends I do have are great.

Basketball has brought me a lot of joy, brought me a lot of good things. Just that side of it has really affected me.

I'm really thankful to be alive. If you get to know me, I'm a person that's always smiling and always joyful and I've been that way since I was born because of the struggles I went through. I was supposed to be number eight that died so I'm always thankful.

Are you gonna be tough, or are you going to be tough?