You know, my first nine years I only played for two teams, Chicago and New York. And the only reason I got traded from New York was the 2010 free agency period, when they had a chance to sign LeBron and D-Wade and that whole class, and I understood that. But from there it's kind of been a roller coaster.

There's nothing like winning and winning at a high level.

The goal is to win a championship, but when you win and you play pretty well, and you start hearing 'All-Star' and 'Sixth Man.' That's really unbelievable.

When you have a guy like Chris Paul, who's the best point guard in the world, saying I should be an All-Star, and other coaches and players coming up to me and saying I should be an All-Star, it's an unbelievable compliment.

I'm into people, especially kids and making sure they have a fair shake and making sure they reach their potential. So that's important to me.

The NBA makes you become a bigger version of what you already were. If you were somebody who was not so nice and you came into a lot of money and fame, then you're probably going to abuse that in the wrong way. But if you come into those things and you were doing the right things, then chances are you're going to do more of the right things.

I was always a giver by nature. I wanted to make sure the person next to me or maybe even the person I don't know didn't go without if I could help it. That's always been in me.

When I was younger, I used to always think making it to the NBA would be the coolest thing in the world. I'd dream about it every day. But as you progress and you attain that goal, then you realize the coolest thing is the effect you can have on people, and kids especially.

No matter what the trends are in the NBA - teams going big, going small, getting more efficient with analytics - the ability for a player to create his own shot, then convert tough shots, will always be a weapon, particularly when you get to the playoffs.

One of my big influences as a young player was Allen Iverson. All I wanted to do was the left-to-right crossover, because that's the one he was doing most.

There are basically five ways to score in the half court. Layups, mid-range, three-pointers, free throws - and then what I call 'tough shots.' Tough shots come anywhere on the floor, under difficult circumstances. The ability to create that shot is a special skill in the NBA.

I feel like I can get any shot I want. That's not to sound cocky or conceited. It's because I've played basketball basically every day of my life. So at some point, I've taken just about every shot there is. I've figured out the angles, almost like a pool shark. I know where to use the glass, which dribble I need and which spot I want to reach.

My earliest childhood memories are of my dad putting a basketball in my hand and playing with me in our backyard.

I think when you're starting you have more of a luxury. You know you're going to play 33, 35, 37 minutes per game, so you can kind of feel the game out. When you come off the bench you have to be more in attack mode. You have to make something happen immediately.

Winning always cures all.

I played with Eddy Curry twice and in New York, the second time, he asked, 'Who are you?' My first to fourth year I was a different person. I started thinking big picture, that maybe I don't have all the answers.

It takes a certain level of maturity to get hit and get knocked down and get back up.

I've always gotten a kick out of leading my team in assists.

People don't realize this, but throughout my career, I grew up patterning my game after Scottie Pippen's. I admire him for his versatility.

I've always been a big-time Scottie Pippen fan. That was my guy growing up!

I want to be a guy who helps the team a lot of different ways.

I'd just shoot until I got tired. I wanted to improve my outside shooting and my ball handling. I wanted to improve everything.

Michigan is a proud university.

I realize everything's on me as far as what kind of player, person, and student I'm going to be.