Basketball

The idea is not to block every shot,

The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot,

Everybody pulls for David,

Nobody roots for Goliath,

I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, big feet, and the way that I’m built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting sport for me to play.

The invention of the basketball was not an accident,

It was developed to meet a need,

Those boys simply would not play drop the handkerchief,

I’ve never lost a game,

I just ran out of time.

Every memory I had growing up was involving a basketball,

I didn’t go to the prom and stuff like that,

It was always basketball for me,

Champions never complain,

They are too busy getting better.

Sometimes a player’s greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team,

When you’re not practising someone else is getting better,

Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,

Winning is more related to good defence than good offence.

All the successful teams I’ve ever seen have three characteristics: they play unselfish, they play together, and they play hard,

He who controlled the backboard controlled the game,

The secret is to have eight great players and four others who will cheer like crazy,

I can’t stand a ballplayer who plays in fear,

Any fellow who has a good shot has got to take it and keep taking it,

So he misses – so what?

Winning is about having the whole team on the same page,

Everything negative — pressure, challenges — are all an opportunity for me to rise,

I’ve never been afraid of big moments,

I get butterflies,

I get nervous and anxious,

But I think those are all good signs that I’m ready for the moment.

The basketball court for me during a game is the most peaceful place I can imagine,

On the basketball court, I worry about nothing,

When I'm out there no one can bother me,

Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievements for the achievement of the group,

It enhances everybody,

In order to achieve positive results,

One must work for them,

No hope for them.

I always laugh when people ask me about rebounding techniques,

I’ve got a technique,

It’s called just go get the ball,

Once you are labelled the best you want to stay up there,

And you can’t do it by loafing around,

If I don’t keep changing, I’m history.

Push yourself again and again,

Don't give an inch until the final buzzer sounds,

Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God's way to say nobody’s perfect,

Don’t let winning make you soft, Don’t let losing make you quit,

Don’t let your teammates down in any situation.

The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition.

Every time I feel tired while I am exercising and training,

I close my eyes to see that picture,

To see that list with my name,

This usually motivates me to work again,

Champions play as they practice, 

Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits