I have respect for everybody in the league.

Ever since I was little, I wanted to win the NBA championship.

Some guys play so straight, and that may be their thing; like, a lot of guys are good playing like that. I can't play like that. I have to flair out. I have to yell. I gotta scream. I gotta talk trash - that's how I get myself going.

In high school, I had gym, and with me just being so competitive, I would go too hard in gym class.

Some people read. I like to put words together.

I love fashion.

Back home, if you get scored on, you're the weak link. When I started getting good, they were like, 'If you're going to play on our team when we go play pick-up, and you start getting scored on, we're not going to let you play anymore.' I started learning how to help other people out with my defense.

Off the court, I think people will like me.

If somebody scores on me, I'm going to be mad.

My worst day, I'm just going to try and smile.

I was told I was going undrafted. That's what I was told by everybody. I guess I wasn't good enough in everybody else's eyes.

I can't have people always having their opinions floating my way.

I like playing in Chicago.

If an athlete plays the guitar, they say, 'That's so cool, he can play the guitar.' But if a guy raps, they say, 'Please don't be another rapper,' only because the rappers are so bad. I promise I'm not anything like that.

I'm not making music to get played in a club.

A lot of people celebrate the '80s. I was a '90s guy. The best music, and basketball, was at its high in the '90s, with all of the best players, playing the best style of basketball in that era, and Michael Jordan winning six rings in the city I grew up in.

Everybody in this league waits on an opportunity when you don't play the starter minutes, when you don't play the type of minutes you want. And with each given opportunity, you got to be ready to come out and perform.

I'd rather somebody expect a lot out of me than nothing at all.

I can't begin to try to articulate the competitive nature I possess.

Truth is, none of us professional athletes are ever 100 percent healthy. We just decide what we're going to tape up and push through without making it worse.

My high threshold for pain will allow me to battle through pretty much anything if I find a way to run and slide.

To me, rapping is an art.

I express myself through song when I can't let people in on my thoughts otherwise. I need the creative process.

The NBA actually encourages balanced living. Realistically, basketball only takes up about six hours of your day before it becomes counterproductive.

Rap isn't that time-consuming for me, compared to an ordinary artist. I do not stay in the studio all day.

As I go back and look at the film, if I look at my first year, every time I caught the ball, I was looking to do something.

It doesn't matter what position they put me at; I've just got to make sure that I come out and play right.

I just want to win.

I think when I started playing against some of the best guys on the AAU circuit, I started to look at myself and say, 'I am one of these guys.'

Everyone will say something about confidence or something if you miss a couple shots. You've just got to keep shooting.

As long as we win, I'm happy.

When you have a lot of communication, it picks up the aggressiveness with everybody on the court.

I don't think I have whatever that thing is that makes some athletes bad with money.

Having a routine makes for a better professional.

I think early on in the league, my biggest problem was I tried to put out what I believe was an innocent fire because I felt it was a conflict with other stars.

You should dress so that somebody remembers you.

I was always growing, so it made no sense for my mom and dad to load me up with a bunch of clothes. But I hated coming to school and feeling like a girl could be like, 'Iman's probably gon' wear this today.' So I would always have to mix and match and find a way to look different. I took a lot of pride in that.

I can go toe-to-toe with somebody with my shoes. But you can't do it with LeBron, 'cause what shoe does he not have?

I always liked crop tops after I saw it on 'Fresh Prince.'

I like art; if I could just draw pictures all day, I would, but I can't; I'm horrible. I practiced at it, still didn't get better - gave it up. I'm good with words, though, so I write music, poetry; sometimes I just journal in my phone.

I think, a lot of times, the mistake in music - even rappers that are trying to be big time - if you're broke, rap about being broke. If you're sensitive, rap about being sensitive, 'cause there are other sensitive people. If you're sensitive, but you talk about being a tough person that doesn't care about anything, people will call your bluff.

My music, you know I'm not lying about anything, and the way you can tell is how in-depth I can get about everything I'm talking about.

I like to paint pictures with words, 'cause I can't draw for anything.

Since I entered the league, half of my checks have always gone into a separate account... I pride myself on doing that. I've done it no matter the size of my contract or salary.

Because of what I've saved, I don't really have a lot of worries about money.

I'm glad Phil Jackson got the rings for Chicago. You traded me away from New York, cool. It's all business; it's all love, whatever. But I'm a grownup now. You not my hero no more.

I wish I was in my 20s during the '90s to really fully live it. I feel like that was a pretty exciting time being from Chicago, seeing Jordan win six rings.

With Cleveland, I think they did a great job in knowing what their team needed, and when I came, I just did my job, and they fully embraced me.

Love is one of the only reminders besides pain that things are real. It's one of the only things worth fighting for.

I ain't got time to pay somebody to drive my vehicle.