I think, from just playing street ball and stuff like that, I was always able to play up with the older guys, and I think that got me physically and mentally prepared to play on a high level of basketball.
It's all a mind thing, just all mental. You have to know going into the game you have to play at a high level, as many minutes, stuff like that. It's just all mental. You get yourself mentally prepared for it and go out there and play.
Being able to play basketball at a high level, adjusting to the ball in the air, quick feet, quick hands and all that stuff definitely translates to playing tight end in the National Football League.
A basketball was in my hands 24/7, playing one-on-one against everybody and anybody, trying to prove against the older guys, just playing. The wind blowing outside, double rims, stuff like that, just always playing ball.
I think guys that play basketball really understand how to go up and get a ball. Because in a rebound situation, you've got to go up and fight for a ball. Just boxing out. There are a lot of things that transfer.
It's easier to go outside and play basketball. You can shoot around by yourself. Play pick-up. Whereas with baseball, no one likes putting a ball on a tee, hitting it, chasing it and putting it back on a tee. You need more than a few guys. So I was always in the neighborhood playing basketball with my friends.
All I got to say is I've got to put myself mentally and physically in a position where I can play at a high level and help my team win and that's what I plan on doing.
I think it's a travesty that the NBA can't just tell these guys to play basketball two days in a row. It's just a joke to me. We flew commercial, and we were able to play back-to-back.
My older brother, he did everything. He played baseball, he played basketball. Just being able to watch him as a youngster, wanting to be like him, wanting to play on the team with him and watching those older guys in my neighborhood play sports.
Now I'm able to play on the main stage and play my own tracks and the crowd likes them. I feel like a lot the other DJs play a lot of the same songs, and not to knock them, but it's important to me to go up there and sort of sneak in a bunch of stuff the other guys aren't playing.
At a really young age you just play ball and you have fun and you don't see basketball as something as a career, it just drives you crazy. But as the years went by and the goals got bigger for myself you realize that without almost being obsessed you won't reach those goals. So the older I get I think the more I realize that it's almost necessary to get to that level.
I think I have a passion for playing the game. I love to play, and I want to play at a high level. You have to do the right things in order to continue at that level.
I always love to do more. Whatever opportunity I get to make a play I'll make the most of my skills. To score touchdowns, to have energy, to light my team up, to get everyone riled up, to continue to go on the field and play at a high level. I just try to set the tempo, playing at a high level and everyone else can follow.
I'm just playing basketball. I just want to be a great player. That's it. That's all I'm thinking about. If the other stuff comes, it comes, but I'm just fortunate to play in the NBA Finals and just to play basketball, period.
I think when guys watch me play, I think that raises the level of other guys because of the way I play the game.
I wanted to prove people wrong who didn't think I could play at this level. I also wanted to take care of my family. It was a chance to play against the best players in the world. Mentally and physically I don't think I was ready, but I was ready to take on the challenge.
That's your dream, to play professional baseball. When you get the opportunity like that, getting drafted - especially by Oakland, a California team, pretty close to home - it was tempting. At the time, I just didn't think I was ready or mature enough mentally or physically to start pro ball.