Top 99 Quotes & Sayings by Jahlil Okafor

I didn't think I was going to be doubled my first NBA game. I knew it would happen eventually, but I got off to a hot start, so as a result, I got double-teamed.

There are things that I need to work on, that I have worked on, and that I'll continue to work on.

I wasn't always a willing passer.

Being in the city of New Orleans, meeting the people, it's been nothing but hospitality and a lot of love.

Speeding obviously is illegal. I know that's not what you're supposed to do.

I have videos of me playing basketball in diapers.

I shoot all kinds of shots. I just don't stay on the block and do layups and dunks when I'm in the gym by myself.

My father has his master's degree. My uncle does as well.

The games are really long when you're not out there.

First time we played together was when I was in seventh grade, he was in eighth. There was a lot of buzz in the city about Jabari Parker, rightfully so. He's obviously a major player. I was just blessed to have him one year ahead of me, so everything I did, he already finished. I've been really blessed to have him by my side.

I've always been the tallest guy in my age group, which always made me go right down in the post.

Chicago is home for me.

When you're friends with somebody, it's really easy to tell them 'Help me do this; help me do that.' It's not an uncomfortable conversation.

Ever since third grade - I never even noticed it until after the game - people were telling me how crazy my dad is. I think I'm so locked in when I'm playing on the floor, I only hear him maybe during timeouts or when we're up 20 or 30 and I'm on the bench. But when I'm in the game, I don't hear him.

I think I can play power forward; I think I can play center as well.

That's one of things I've heard about Brooklyn - how good they are at developing players.

Every game is going to be different.

I don't worry about individual matchups.

When I pictured myself in the NBA, I always imagined myself with an older guy taking me under his wing.

I'm just trying to get better each game.

I shoot a lot of bank shots and a lot of shots around the perimeter. There's a lot of things I like to work on, but I know my bread and butter when it comes down to it, and that's in the post.

I just think that playing in a championship game and playing in every game in March Madness, that's just more time for critics to watch you and more time for them to nitpick at what you don't do well or what they feel you don't do well.

I'm a big fan of black uniforms.

I pray to my mother before every game. She passed away when I was 9, but I always consider her my wings on the floor, my extra step, my extra focus, my extra everything, to watch over me when I'm on the court. It takes some pressure off you when you feel like you have your mother above watching you. And I always pray to God for guidance.

My rookie season, I wore 8 because I had wanted 15, but it's retired in Philadelphia. I had worn 15 in college.

In college, when you lose one game as a top team, it's like the end of the world.

I've been playing basketball my entire life, so I feel comfortable doing what is asked of me.

At the end of the day, I know what my bread and butter is and how I can be effective.

Playing games and watching film, I've been able to see the improvements I can make and how much better I can be. It's exciting to think about it.

I'm definitely not the caliber player that LeBron is, but I find it funny how people can criticize him and the way he plays the game. So it's pretty easy to criticize me if they are still able to criticize LeBron.

I definitely feel like I'm the scapegoat for a lot of The Process issues.

Coming out of college, I got a lot of notoriety for being the old-school center.

I've always been a physical player.

I can play with my back to the basket, but I can face up as well.

I've always gotten credit for being a big man who doesn't want to shoot threes. Throughout my entire basketball career prior to coming to the NBA, I was praised for doing that.

My main focus, my pride is right there on the block. That's where I've always played and my focus has always been.

You have half a second to make your mind up to know if you're going to shoot, pass, drive. Don't hold the ball too long, and make your decision quick.

Around sixth or seventh grade, I fell in love with Tim Duncan and his all-around game. That's when I started watching him. Then my father introduced me to Hakeem Olajuwon. Those were the two guys I modeled my game after.

I've always won. I've won the state championship, national championship, all that stuff.

I get that every game. High school. At Duke. When I do the introductions, I get a little butterflies. Once I step on the floor, I'm fine.

I'm a winner. I've always been a winner.

There's a lot of pride I have coming from Chicago because so many great players have done so many great things in the league. I definitely want to keep that tradition going. So yeah, I want to represent Chicago in the best light possible.

I've always been a basketball player. My earliest memories are of playing basketball. I was born playing it. It's why I'm so comfortable on the floor.

I love LeBron, but Kobe was the first player I actually considered my favorite.

People in New Orleans have been so supportive of me and the team. I love walking around here, because the people have been great.

Shaquille O'Neal was probably my favorite athlete growing up. I loved how dominant and unstoppable he was, but also his charisma off the court. He was someone I gravitated toward.

When I found out that I'd been traded to Brooklyn - it was pretty much the best feeling in the world.

It's nice to be able to go against bigger guys and be able to bang.

Being the No. 1 pick isn't that important to me.

I've had a lot of struggles in the NBA, so to have some type of success, it just feels good, and makes you want more.

When you have a dominant big man, that changes the aspects of the game.

When I found out dairy was an inflammatory, which I had no idea about, I cut that out.

For as long as I remember, big men have dominated the NBA.

I can score from 18 to 20 feet out, handle the ball, pass. I don't consider myself an old-school center.

I didn't want to go to any school but Duke: the best of the best.

My aunt, who plays the role of my mother now, she got her Ph.D.

In eighth grade, I pretty much didn't want to pass. I was 6'8'.' I was always bigger and stronger. I was getting triple-teamed, and the results weren't good. I wasn't helping my team. I was forcing shots. Then I started passing it out to my team, and they started hitting shots and slashing, and that's when things opened up for me.

I think I'm a great teammate.

I'm not a perfect player.

It feels good when your teammates are telling you on the bench that they're hyped.