For whatever reason, the people that don't appreciate Duke basketball or don't pull for Duke basketball, they have a tendency to vilify one of the players. And a lot of times, it might be a white guy. And has it happened over and over in the past? Yes.
Christian Laettner
As a thrill in my career, the Olympics rank right up there with my two NCAA championships at Duke.
When you're the king of someplace, you don't voluntarily leave.
I'm sure I was insensitive. I'm probably still a jerk at times. But my priority as a freshman was to be good in basketball and play a lot. Not to be the nicest person in the world. I was one-track-minded. I still am.
I had an older brother that would beat me in everything, and then he would rub my nose in it, and that made me work even harder.
I played some ping pong with the guys on the T'Wolves team. I might have been the champ on that team, too. But ping pong is a big part of my life. I grew up playing it against my brother and my father when I was young. They used to kick my behind for a long time, so I got very good at it.
I don't need you to love me. I don't want you to hate me, but just don't judge a book by its cover.
You cannot just allow your team to stink.
It's not good to be a hater.
I'd love to do movies.
I got a beautiful wife and beautiful, healthy children, and that's really all you can ask for.
I always pull for the best of the best.
I love muskie fishing in the summer time.
My second choice would've been Carolina. And when I told my mother I was going to Duke and not Carolina, she just cried, and that made my decision process a little harder. But I still went with what felt right, and it ended up working out well for me.
There's gotta be a villain; there's gotta be a good guy.
I think every basketball player I know loves ping pong. Everyone played in on the Dream Team. I played Clyde Drexler and Chris Mullin and even David Stern once. David Stern saw I was pretty good.
If you are not a Dukie, and Duke is having a lot of success year after year, you might get tired of it. They might not like your competing personality or competing persona, and if you are not a Dukie, or you don't love Duke or Christian Laettner, then I can understand the hating on me.
Given the way Duke plays its offense and defense, in high school I was very interested in playing for Coach K. Then when you get there and see how good he is, you buy into it a hundred percent. He has a recipe for how to be successful on the court.
When I went to work with Garinger, they were good kids and a very good team. But they had a nine-game losing streak, and you can see that they were getting down and depressed and not feeling rewards for their efforts. But when I came in there, I didn't need to teach them much about X's and O's.
I'm versatile in every part of my game - except being nice, which I am only at home.
People don't know how awesome Minnesota is... I love it up here. And when I was playing up here, I loved every second of it, even if it was minus 20 degrees.
For my entire Duke career, people were gunning for us and hating us and wanting us to lose, so I got used to that right away. Every team is going to give you their best shot. Everyone wants to beat you.
You pay attention to detail. You try to win every time. You play tough. And when you play the right way and be accountable to each other, you're going to have success and enjoy the game that much more.
Well, my last year was 04-05 with the Heat, and I relaxed for a few years, and I said, 'Well, what am I going to do?' I've got to do my passion, and my passion is basketball.
I root for John Calipari.
The Olympics in '92, I didn't contribute that much. I had more to do with winning the National Championships than I did the gold medal.
Every Olympics, when I was growing up and playing basketball, my parents and I made it a point to sit down and watch the U.S.A. compete. To join that team later, and play and practice one-on-one with David Robinson, Larry Bird, Chris Mullens and all these guys I looked up to, was a dream come true.
I did pursue to be a good basketball player.
I pursued to have my team win as much as we could, and it doesn't happen without great teammates.
Every basketball thing I do now through my academy is always in a muskie state so I can work both those passions at the same time.
I've got a beautiful wife and a beautiful family.
I'm a little embarrassed to say I'm a little bit of a soccer dad.
For me, personally, on the inside, the best moment was winning my first championship.
I'm very close with Brian Davis, Thomas Hill, and Marty Clark.
I always believed him. If Coach K said the sky will be purple when you get outside, I would have believed him.
You can't do something stupid at any time. If you do, you're going to get technicals or flagrant fouls, or you're going to get kicked out of the game or whatever.
I think if you are a player going to Duke, you have to expect a little bit to be not liked when you go and play in opposing team's gyms. Like, when I signed with Duke out of high school, I knew it would be playing in hell where they hate you. That's what I loved about it.
It's easier to work hard when you're passionate about what you're doing.
I loved my time in Minnesota. I loved it so much that I lived up there until 1999.
I know I used to play basketball every day, whether it was for fun with my older brother or if it was organized basketball on teams.
It's very important to know how to dribble and pass and catch and cut at a very high level if you want to be a good basketball player.
A layup or two early will help your confidence.
When I'm older and my children have grown up, I would like to coach in the NBA.
If you want the whole college basketball experience, you have to go to a game at Cameroon Indoor!
You earn playing time on the practice floor.
I'm up in Minneapolis all the time. I love being up there.
I was unique and still am unique.
I want to see kids go to college more.
Sometimes you've just got to will it into the hoop.
The only thing I can control is winning on the basketball court.
