Athlete

I remember as a young player I had this dream of playing in the NBA.

I don't know what position Scottie was; he was just a basketball player. He could dribble, shoot, pass and rebound. Defensively, he was excellent. He had quick hands and quick feet with a great understanding of the game. He could do it all.

Since I've been a part of this league, I can't recall when they've actually made rules that have actually helped to improve the game of basketball.

If I could do anything, I'd ride horses all day.

In 1989-90 I became one of the group known as the Jordanaires, a.k.a. the Bulls. From the day I arrived in Chicago, I knew what everyone else on the team did: Michael Jordan was a phenomenal talent.

Playing sports is a craft that has to be worked on and perfected just like anything else.

This is to LeBron James: If you want to be the best, get rid of the comparisons. Get rid of all the comparisons that are out there. That's what Michael Jordan did.

I've been around enough athletes to know when someone is working, someone's not.

If your best players are taking a shortcut, they're going to have problems holding everyone else accountable and responsible.

To be honest with you, I just want to be true to the game of basketball, and that's what I've always tried to do.

Sometimes you have to be very bad before you can be very good.

Michael Jordan was the greatest practice player I've ever seen.

Michael was the first person to show me what it meant to be a star... but you cannot be that star and not accept all the things that came with it.

Anytime the coach gives you the ball and some encouragement, you get a sense of freedom.

Character and class are character and class. Either you have it or you don't.

If there was ever a true emotion of a Chicago Bull, Derrick Rose embodies it. Because he is Chicago. That kid will do anything for the city of Chicago.

Somehow you get past languages. I don't speak Mandarin. I don't speak fluent Italian. I don't speak German. But it's amazing how when you need to get something done, it finds a way.

To point the finger at one guy, at each other or at the coaches, won't do any good. It's not supposed to be the coach. It's our team. The coaches can do a phenomenal job preparing you, but it has to come from within.

Jordan had phenomenal talent. He had phenomenal understanding. But he also had a mentality that I haven't seen. He had a sense of urgency every time he stepped on the floor.

You learn a lot of about people in failure.