I am highly offended by the total lack of acknowledgement of my contribution to Laker success.

I need about three seats lengthwise to sleep on a plane. It's not easy for me to curl up.

The Lakers fans have been great, even folks in the supermarket are welcoming me back.

But people don't know if I can teach the game. I know I can. My experience in Oklahoma was positive. It opened my eyes to how the game is played - the interaction among players, fans and media, how all that works. You have to know about the business of the game and how the actions of players and coaches affect the business. I think I have it down now.

I was just starting out acting [doing "Airplane"] and wanted to be taken as a professional, not as an athlete doing a cameo.

I don't really care who's doing drugs in the NBA as long as the scene isn't adversely affecting my team and teammates. I've known enough drug users-going as far back as grade school and the streets of New York-not to view them as pariahs or lost souls. I've certainly smoked more than my quota of weed.

A lot of players think the game is all about individual performances when it's really all about a team game.