basketball player, baseball player, spokesperson, entrepreneur, autobiographer
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In college I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I've been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.
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.
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.
If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying [no hard work]. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. (p. 20, 24)
I've reached the pinnacle of my career. I just feel that I don't have anything else to prove. When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense of 'to prove something' as a basketball player, it's time for me to move away from the game of basketball.
I'm back for the second time.
I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. And that is why I succeed.
I'm retired 99.9%. Of course, there always is that .1%.
There will be a player greater than me.
Enjoy every minute of life. Never second-guess life.
I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.
I set another goal … a reasonable, manageable goal that I could realistically achieve if I worked hard enough. I approached everything step by step.
[Jerry Krause] said organizations win championships. I said, "I didn't see organizations playing with the flu in Utah."
I was in Chicago in 1994 and at this time I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball, Bryon Russell came over to me and said, "Why'd you quit? You know I could guard you." When I did come back in 1995 and we played Utah in '96, I'm at the center circle and Bryon Russell is standing next to me. I said, "You remember what you said in 1994 about, 'I think I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you?' Well, you're about to get your chance."
I can remember a game, we were down with about 5 to 10 points, I go off about 25 points, we come back and win the game, we're walking off the floor. Tex (Winter) looks at me and says "There's no "I" in team!" I looked at Tex and say, "There's not, but there's an 'I' in win!"
Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion
Can I still dunk... Are you stupid?
As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers. I grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well.
If we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families and our communities.
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.
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.
The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.
The best evaluation I can make of a player is to look in his eyes and see how scared they are.
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.
Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.
My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, 'You never know what you can accomplish until you try.'
Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
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.
There is no 'i' in team but there is in win.
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.
Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes.
Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.
It's a heavy duty to try to do everything and please everybody. My job was to go out there and play the game of basketball as best I can and provide entertainment for everyone who wanted to watch basketball. Obviously, people may not agree with that; again, I can't live with what everyone's impression of what I should or what I shouldn't do.
Gambling is legal and betting is legal, for what I bet.
I'm patient.
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.
The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.
There's only one Michael Jordan.
In any investment, you expect to have fun and make money.
I'm not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.
The best evaluation I can make of a player is to look in his eyes and see how scared they are.
I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.
One day, you might look up and see me playing the game at 50. Don't laugh. Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.
My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline.
I've had tendinitis since college.
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 want to play for years.
In college I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I've been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.
I can't speak for the future. I have no crystal ball.
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.
It's a habit of mine now, noticing labels, logos, shoes.
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.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
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.
I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.
Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.
If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.
My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, 'You never know what you can accomplish until you try.'
If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
We all fly. Once you leave the ground, you fly. Some people fly longer than others.
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.
You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to that.
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 want to be the bridge to the next generation.
The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can't let yourself be beat because of lack of effort.
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.
In any investment, you expect to have fun and make money.
I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot... when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.
The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.
Winning isn't always championships.
When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.
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 never thought a role model should be negative.
I've never been afraid to fail.
When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it's time for me to move away from the game.
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.
In reality, I never want to grow up.
I like control.
Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.
It's absolutely wrong that I don't want guys to challenge me. And the people who say that aren't in the room.
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.
Do I need my number retired throughout the course of the league to acknowledge what I've done? No.
I know the signs of scaredness.
I won't have any competitive instincts in any sports, other than golf. I can't see being competitive in sports any more.
It's a heavy duty to try to do everything and please everybody. My job was to go out there and play the game of basketball as best I can and provide entertainment for everyone who wanted to watch basketball. Obviously, people may not agree with that; again, I can't live with what everyone's impression of what I should or what I shouldn't do.
I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.
When I was playing before I retired, I never really understood the appreciation and the respect that people gave me. People had treated me like a god or something, and that was very embarrassing.
In college I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I've been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, 'You never know what you can accomplish until you try.'
Ultimately, if you can say that I'm a bad owner and we're winning championships, I can live with that. But if we're not making the playoffs and we're spending and losing money, then I have to look in the mirror and say maybe I'm not taking the necessary steps to doing what it takes to run an organization.
I can't speak for the future. I have no crystal ball.