In the NBA, you can't run from guys. I think a lot of teams were surprised by my interviews, how nice and well-spoken I am as a player and as a person. I'm a guy who wants to learn.

I'm not cocky at all. You ask anybody, I'm one of the nicest guys. I try to be as humble as I can, but if you work hard, sometimes you know that you earned more respect.

I want to be an NBA all-star and help my team win. That's what it's all about, is winning. I'm a competitor... People said a lot about me being selfish and stuff like that. Getting into the league, I can't wait to shut that down. I'm a guy who wants to play and to win and love my teammates.

Closed mouths don't get fed, and I'm gonna eat every time I get on the court.

My explosiveness, I really couldn't show it at UCLA. It's still there. It's always been there. It was not a lot of running. It was a half-court game. Coach Howland came from the Big East and so you know that's a grind out game.