Kobe was hell-bent on surpassing Jordan as the greatest player in the game. His obsession with Michael was striking. When we played in Chicago that season, I orchestrated a meeting between the two of them, thinking that Michael might help shift Kobe’s attitude toward selfless teamwork. After they shook hands, the first words out of Kobe’s mouth were, ‘You know I can kick your ass one on one.’

Pau is one of the best big men in the game. I mean, Pau Gasol is going to be in the Hall of Fame.

A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.

I know what it takes to be a coach. I've gone through that. I think I came up short my last season. Lots of things were happening physically to me, and emotionally, perhaps mentally, too. I thought it was time to tend to more important things, like health and like family. I still enjoy that, and I don't think I have any need to go back to coach.

My job as a coach was to make something meaningful out of one of the most mundane activities on the planet: playing pro basketball.

No one plays this or any game perfectly. It's the guy who recovers from his mistakes who wins.

If we can accept whatever hand we've been dealt - no matter how unwelcome - the way to proceed eventually becomes clear.