I think there is so many elements of the culture of basketball that Jordan leads in and has been a leader over the years - from Michael's on court legacy to his work ethic, competitiveness, passion, and leadership.
I was a mediocre basketball player. But I was there, and I could remember the plays. And my basketball coach, after he retired from teaching, would come to my performances all the time. And I was very happy about that, because I was not memorable as a basketball player.
In the original script, my character was a basketball player rather than a boxer. I didn't think I could pull that off. I'm a little short to be a basketball player!
I'm a basketball player - I rely on instincts and IQ.
I know Steve Kerr well and his basketball IQ is really high. He knows everything about basketball.
If you have a kid that loves basketball - that eats, sleeps, drinks, and thinks basketball, and all he knows is basketball - and he gets hurt, and he's your franchise player, you need to hold him back from himself.
Seven years ago, my father and I realized that our relationship was extremely unique, especially in the African-American community. He raised me to not only understand the fundamentals of basketball and to try to be a player with a high basketball IQ, but he wanted me to understand that my image and my name meant more than stats.
I used to play soccer when I was in Morocco, but I was more of a basketball player. I played high school basketball, I played AAU basketball.
Who's to say because you're just a basketball player, or you are a basketball player, who's to say you can't chime in on other subjects or other important topics?
Who knows, maybe I'll be a basketball player one day? No, I'm definitely never going to be a basketball player. I have no hand-eye coordination.
A lot of people just think I'm a big man, but I'm a basketball player. I am able to do everything that a basketball player can do - from playmaking and scoring to just passing the ball and just being a leader and post presence.
When you think about basketball, and you watch someone like Michael Jordan play basketball - even if you're a baseball player, there's still a lot to learn from there.
What I made clear to our front office is we're going to be judged by wins and losses. It isn't about having a marquee star player and coming in last place. That's not what Lakers basketball is. Lakers basketball is winning basketball.
Before I joined the Clippers I played basketball at the University of Kentucky. There the game of basketball is very important. It is important for the fans. There is not a lot to do there so they really support the team. It is hard to describe. The fans, the coaching staff, the basketball program is everything and the kids who go there love it.
Basketball was always my sport. It just took me until my second year of college for me to realize that I was a better baseball player than a basketball player. But basketball was always my number one love. Finally found out I was better at baseball and chose to pursue that route.
A big part of what kept me focused on the music was already failing with basketball. I played basketball all of my life. When basketball didn't work, I knew that I had to make it in whatever I decided to do next.