I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.
When I was five years old, my parents gave me a drum set for Christmas. My mom played the piano, and Dad played the saxophone badly. But that Christmas morning, I remember we all played together, and I thought it was the greatest day ever.
I've been so blessed to play for the greatest coach at a time when our organization has done incredible things. I've played with the best teammates. Playing for Mr. Kraft and what his influence on the team has been.
I want to be the greatest. The greatest that ever played, regardless of position or era.
The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
I think the greatest all-around athlete ever was Jim Brown. He played lacrosse, basketball and ran track at Syracuse. He played professional football for the Browns.
I was also very lucky to be a teammate of two of the greatest players to have ever played the game. I learned very early on by playing for Frank Robinson and with Henry Aaron that even the greatest players in the game were just one of the guys.
Let us not forget that the greatest composers were also the greatest thieves. They stole from everyone and everywhere.
Look, in my life, I played one World Cup: the greatest thing. I used to wait in anticipation for the squad announcement. I didn't go to Argentina 78 having played throughout qualification. Now, that hurt.
The greatest masters are the greatest apprentices as well; they are not only greatest givers but also greatest takers.
I think about all the time how I'll be able to say that during my career, I played with the greatest players of my era. Hopefully, I'll be able to say I won championships with those players.
And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start a team today, the greatest player and the one guy I would take would be Larry Bird.
Sometimes, my kids say to me, 'Ah, you played with Maradona; you played with this, or you played with that.' And they are so proud.
It wasn't the greatest script in the world, but not many people can say they've played a wicked king in a swashbuckling Arthurian special-effects monster movie.
At Napoli, the greatest player of all time played here - Diego Armando Maradona. The fans expect the best, and quality players.
That the Dream Team played against each other every day. The greatest games ever were the practice games they played. Everybody was talking smack. It wasn't Michael the only one talking. Magic Johnson was really good, too.