I don't think people fully appreciate the trauma associated with losing. It takes a lot out of you, year after year.

The passion to win games, the incredible, focused energy and also the camaraderie of the team were all things that I really loved.

You can't imagine how much good luck is involved in winning, but all of a sudden, you get in a situation where every break goes your way, every call goes your way, every ball that rolls around drops in instead of out. It feels magical.

When time is running out and the score is close, most players are thinking, I don't want to be the one to lose the game, but I'm thinking, What do I have to do to win?

The only thing I care about is winning. That's all. If you don't want to win, you don't want to be around me.

As a player all you can do is play within yourself, even in the context of a team sport.

[The NBA] used to be a small band of basketball groupies. Now there are a lot more corporate-type people working in the league.