I realize that I'm black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody's wish.

My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes.

The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

I never thought a role model should be negative.

If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don't isolate.

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot... when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.

I've never been afraid to fail.

My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline.

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.

If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.

Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.

Even when I'm old and grey, I won't be able to play it, but I'll still love the game.

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.

I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.

I'm not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.

There is no "i" in team but there is in win.

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

As athletes, we're used to reacting quickly. Here, it's 'come, stop, come, stop.' There's a lot of downtime. That's the toughest part of the day.

I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.

Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

I realize that I'm black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody's wish.

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That's truly about the game, and in some ways that's about life too.

Being Michael Jordan means acting the same as I always have.

Do I need my number retired throughout the course of the league to acknowledge what I've done? No.

For a competitive junkie like me, golf is a great solution because it smacks you in the face every time you think you have accomplished something. That to me has taken over a lot of the energy and competitiveness for basketball.

Gambling is legal and betting is legal, for what I bet.

How many times have your parents told you not to do things, and the next thing you know, you go do it? And you realized you shouldn't have done it.

I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.

I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else's talent.

I can't speak for the future. I have no crystal ball.

I do not have a problem, I enjoy gambling, but I think people are trying to make it seem like I have a problem, because people really don't know.

I hope the millions of people I've touched have the optimism and desire to share their goals and hard work and persevere with a positive attitude.

I know the signs of scaredness.

I like control.

I think the players win the championship, and the organization has something to do with it, don't get me wrong. But don't try to put the organization above the players.

I want people to understand, gambling is not a bad thing if you do it within the framework of what it's meant to be, which is fun and entertaining.

I want to be the bridge to the next generation.

I want to wake up every day and do whatever comes in my mind, and not feel pressure or obligations to do anything else in my life.

I wasn't really a work-conscious type of person. I was a player. I loved to play sports.

I will not quit this game because of what the media has done to me.

I won't have any competitive instincts in any sports, other than golf. I can't see being competitive in sports any more.

I'd like to be settled into somewhat of a normal life. Somewhat. I know it's never going to be completely normal.

I'm not a Twitterer, I'm not a twerker, I'm not a Facebooker, I'm not nothing. I'm old school.