When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'

My role is to make sure we're moving in the right direction, getting points, rebounds, steals, assists and providing leadership.

I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

I realize now that there's a strength in dunking that I can use to my advantage. When you dunk all the time it isn't as demoralizing to the opponent, but when you dunk at a key moment in the game you can use it to change the momentum.

When you start training camp, you're building the tools necessary to win a championship. You have to have the patience.

I don't think a coach becomes the right coach until he wins a championship.

As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don't know. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be.