I felt that a number of people might have questioned my loyalty, but I continue to be a patriotic American.

My high school had been a renovated old hospital, so when I first came to the UCLA campus in the spring of 1965, I was immediately impressed by the classic northern Italian architecture that was mixed with futuristic ultra-modern buildings. The classic architecture gave it the heft of old wisdom while the modernistic look inspired hope for the future.

Your mind is what makes everything else work.

Either because I was an athlete or because I was black - probably both - there seemed to be a clear assumption that I wouldn't be up to the work.

Alexander Hamilton realized that warfare was part and parcel of human nature, and it's something we had to prepare for.

The lifespan of most professional athletes is relatively short, and most have no preparation for doing anything after their career ends, which it could in an instant.

I needed to go to class; I needed to go to practice; I needed to have a life away from basketball.