With me, and people know this, since I've gotten to the league the first day I've always been about trying to help my team win, trying to play for my teammates. That's just the way that I am.
I want to be an NBA all-star and help my team win. That's what it's all about, is winning. I'm a competitor... People said a lot about me being selfish and stuff like that. Getting into the league, I can't wait to shut that down. I'm a guy who wants to play and to win and love my teammates.
The way you talk to your teammates and push them and the way you treat them is important. There is a fine line between trying to help your teammates and criticizing them. The toughest part for me is how to keep my teammates accountable but at the same time do it in a loving way that doesnt judge or condemn them. It's definitely been a struggle and I'm trying to learn how to lead consciously in a way that honors God.
I'm just going out there, particularly defensively I am trying to help my teammates. I am trying to get my guys open with screens and such.
That's what I am trying to be, just trying to affect the game any way possible, rebounding, getting a block, or trying to get a stop even when your shot isn't falling, because, at the end of the day, all that matters is whether you win or lose.
I just wanted to play hard - just to give my 100 percent to help my teammates, to help my team to win the game. That's my only goal going on the court.
I'm not thinking about my numbers. I'm just trying to do the best I can to help the team win.
Sometimes you can press a little bit and you're trying to do too much and you're trying too hard. You want to win so bad and you want to help the team so badly that you end up trying too much instead of letting the play come to you.
I'm not out trying to prove anything. All I'm trying to do is go out there and help my team any way I can to win. I don't get caught up in the individual stats or the awards.
I am human. I am messy. I'm not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I'm right. I am just trying - trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.
I'm not trying to please everybody. I'm just trying to play for one team and do it the right way.
Wherever I am I just try to be there for my teammates on the floor and put forth effort and help our team win.
I don't play for myself. I play for my teammates and play for the people that helped me get to where I am. I know they're watching me every week, and I want to play for them. It's just in my heart, and that's who I am.
You know, there's a real irony in U.S. assistance programs. First of all, I think it's misnamed. We're not so much trying to help people as we're trying to help ourselves. So let's be clear about this. So these are - in my view, they're cold calculations of national security and not aid programs.
Just every day try to be a leader, try to get better and to help my team win. I just want to be more vocal, like talk more so my teammates can know I got their back.
There's been injuries to where my perseverance may have gotten overlooked-just my hard work and what I bring to a franchise and to a team may have gotten overlooked. But it's a matter of staying professional and playing the game of basketball and ultimately doing whatever it takes to win a championship for your teammates.
I was just trying to make it to a second contract before guys. I was trying to outplay guys on the field and trying to last longer than them in the league. I think all of those things go through your head when you're a late-rounder, and you're always trying to prove people wrong.