Culture and politics were inseparable [in the Sixties], which gave a soundtrack to political awareness and activism.

When you're a coach you've got to go up the ladder, you've got to be ready to travel. That's the nature of coaching

Michael Jordan and Magic and myself, all learned how to play the game in college programs that emphasized the team.

During 1866 and 1922, Native Americans and black soldiers often intermingled in the American west, on the frontier.

Reporters used to ask me the same inane questions year-in and year-out, city-to-city, and it would drive me crazy.

OK, I'll put it like this: I doubt if we will see another All-American basketball athlete who is a Rhodes Scholar.

Today's youth are told to get rich or die trying and they really shouldn't take that attitude forward with them.

The transition was difficult. It's hard to stop something that you've enjoyed and that has been very rewarding.

Yoga is somewhat hard to quantify in terms of benefits because you see them in all the injuries you don't get.

As brilliant an individual that Michael Jordan was, he was not successful until he got with a good team unit.

Jackie Robinson, as an athlete and as someone who was trying to make a stand for equality, he was exemplary.

I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.

I feel that there has been progress made since I was a boy on matters of race, but we have a long way to go.

A lot of players think the game is all about individual performances when it's really all about a team game.

I think the NBA players have to be held accountable in a reasonable way, just like any other professionals.

I felt that a number of people might have questioned my loyalty, but I continue to be a patriotic American.

The rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics endured for about eight years, and the interest grew each year.

I want to do as little as possible when I finish playing ball - just spend a lot more time with my family.

I love basketball, but playing basketball doesn't fully define who I am. I was always a good student, too.

Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.

I have always thought that writers come with any variety of attributes. Some are capable and some aren't.

Black people don't have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted.

What I have is P.H. positive chronic myeloid leukemia, which is an aberration in your white blood cells.

I think a lot of people, if they get the opportunity to do some acting, they think, 'I might be a star.'

We want to show how hip-hop, which kind of fuels today's basketball stars, is directly related to jazz.

With 300 million people in America, you can fail to impress 299 million of them and still go platinum.

What we need are positive, realistic goals and the willingness to work. Hard work and practical goals.

I've had enough success for two lifetimes, My success is talent put together with hard work and luck.

I always thought I could do a good job coaching, but the opportunities have not presented themselves.

When a rap song glorifies violence, death and sadness and loss is inflicted because of the violence.

It's hard for young players to see the big picture. They just see three or four years down the road.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the 761st was Patton's best tank unit and nobody knew about it.

If not for the success that medicine has made, I might be part of a much different story right now.

I tell kids to pursue their basketball dreams, but I tell them to not let that be their only dream.

I needed to go to class; I needed to go to practice; I needed to have a life away from basketball.

As a parent, I have a job as a role model to my children, and by extension, to other young people.

This is what I would have done if I had to have a real job: I would have been a history teacher.

When we went up against teams that were better, I just hoped that we could steal the victories.

When the line started to blur between the fans and the players, sometimes things can get ugly.

Kobe's an incredibly talented athlete, and there are many more like him among today's players.

I am highly offended by the total lack of acknowledgement of my contribution to Laker success.

I'm not going to emphasize the sky-hook as much as work with the specific skills of the guys.

Some stuff can be fixed, some stuff can’t be. Deciding which is which is part of maturing.

I was getting hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. That's not normal, even for my age.

I can do something else besides stuff a ball through a hoop. My biggest resource is my mind.

A team will always appreciate a great individual if he's willing to sacrifice for the group.

The constant expansion has diluted the talent. Other than that, it's still the same game.

I need about three seats lengthwise to sleep on a plane. It's not easy for me to curl up.

[Coaching] is a difficult job which everyone who owns a TV thinks they can do better at.

I think that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice.