It doesn't matter where you come from, what you have or don't have, what you lack, or what you have too much of. But all you need to have is faith in God, an undying passion for what you do and what you choose to do in this life, and a relentless drive and the will to do whatever it takes to be successful in whatever you put your mind to.
Stephen Curry
Drinking water is essential to a healthy lifestyle.
To excel at the highest level - or any level, really - you need to believe in yourself, and hands down, one of the biggest contributors to my self-confidence has been private coaching.
I've always believed that success for anyone is all about drive, dedication, and desire, but for me, it's also been about confidence and faith.
I try to make it look easy, but the behind-the-scenes stuff is the challenge.
Sometimes people make it seem like you have to have certain prerequisites or a crazy life story in order to be successful in this world. But the truth is you really don't.
I am pretty chill before games. Have a go-to routine that keeps me busy until we are ready to take the court so I'm not just sitting around anxious for the game.
Whatever that means, however you got on that mountain, why not try to climb it? And do it in your own way.
Control your own destiny! Control your own destiny!
Right after the draft, when I came out to Oakland, there was a press conference and a dinner with the owner, GM, and Coach Nelson. We did some sightseeing and some house searching the next day, but to be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I tried to find a spot close to our gym, because I figured that's where I'd spend most of my time.
Honestly, I could care less about other people's opinions about me.
I'm 6'3" and 185 pounds on a good day, so I probably relate more to the casual fan who watches the game and is not super athletic, not this crazy monster of physical stature.
You learn that there's no right way to do it, no wrong way to do it. It's just what you feel comfortable with, to trust that, and don't let anybody box you in to a certain style of parenting or make you feel a certain way about what your kids do.
I have allergies, and I've had my share of nosebleeds, but that's usually related to pollen.
I just feel so much more comfortable and confident every game I play.
I want to thank God, obviously for the health, for the talent He's given me, for my family who supports me, for the things that basketball's taught me on and off the court. For the people that I've been able to meet through the game of basketball.
We're going to have to work. We're going to have to play well. Nothing will be given to us.
I'm very active on social media and see the huge impact it has on engaging with fans and being able to have a voice.
I like that Brita makes tap water taste good, so you don't need to spend money or waste plastic with bottled water.
There's a reason that I have confidence out there, and it's about how I prepare for games and for series and seasons and whatnot, so we've got to stick with that kind of thought process.
Water is my drink.
I'm not in the business of ranking or debating who is what.
A wet spot on the floor kind of put a scare in myself, so you never know inside those lines what might happen.
When I step forward on the floor, I have the confidence that I'm the best player playing that night and that I am the most prepared at what I need to be doing.
The way I try to represent my family and coaches, I think all are characteristics the league aspires to portray. That's just who I am.
I've taken countless shots in my life, so you know the ones when you're in rhythm, with a perfect release, and it's on track, that it's going in.
Everybody asks if putting is like shooting free throws. It has a very similar kind of mindset. And it's just you, the ball, and the target.
It's crazy how fast you get out of shape if you miss a couple days of action.
I don't like people looking at someone else's image.
All of us are in the same place, each with our own rooms, and we were allowed to do whatever we wanted. Which is totally different than college, where they manage your schedule for you. In the NBA, you're on your own.
For me, when you are have people wondering what is next, what is coming out, you are on the right track.
We're not going to go 82-0 and blow everybody out. We are going to be challenged.
I know the blessing of having a dad who played 16 years in the league. That experience, and seeing him as an example, let me know that it's possible. It's not easy, but it's possible.
Back in Oakland, we have a lot of food in the locker room, but on the road, it's mostly just fruit. So we have to prepare differently. But really, once you get to the gym, everything on the road is pretty much the same.
I always have an optimistic view, no matter what it is.
A lot of guys are able to separate how they act off the court versus how they act on the court.
I always have confidence, whether I miss four in a row or make four in a row, that the next one's going in. To a coach, sometimes that might not make sense.
You can play fast but not in a hurry. As a point guard, I can dictate that.
With all the travel we're doing to cold-weather cities, your mind definitely starts to wander. It gets you away from the game. Even when you arrive in a city, you're tempted to just sit in your hotel and rest. Sometimes it's nice to just get out and walk around, to see what's there.
We knew sports was important to us and our family, but there are priorities in life.Obviously, faith is foremost; how we did in school is important. If we didn't handle that business then there were no privileges.
There are so many things we have to overcome in this life with Jesus, His work on the cross. He's paid the ultimate price for us, so I'm proud to be a child of God.
Hopefully I won't be the last big splash at Under Armour.
The more minutes you play and the more grind and physical play you endure through the course of a season, you have to re-charge and get your body right for the next season. Be in that weight room and conditioning and that kind of deal.
I hope to play until I'm, like, 38 or something, and that's a lot of years in the game and a lot of travel and a lot of sacrifice on my family's part.
I'm just blessed, man, to be able to represent solidarity with the small schools I went to.
I'm blessed to have such a tight-knit family that we can talk about anything. Whether we talk frequently or not, since we're on separate ends of the country, there are a lot of moving parts, and we always stay tight and find that center ground that keeps us together.
Some of the stuff I do on the court is what most people think they can do.
I wasn't going to shy away from getting married when I did and having a baby young and starting a family, even with the job that I chose.
Shooting the ball is a part of the game. Everybody can shoot in their own way. Not everybody can make. But everybody can shoot.
For me, I don't want to cheat the game by saying, or kind of doing lip service by saying, I want to be the greatest ever. I want to be able to show it.