“I failed, I think, seven [or] eight times before I finally got my first [championship]. It was just, you know, just about me growing up. Now that I'm an old, old veteran-age 29-I do things a lot differently. I don't go to the gentlemen's clubs anymore. I had to slow that down.” ThinkingKnowsFirstsAgeWinningGrowing UpGrowingBasketballSevenClubsEightGentlemanChampionshipVeteran Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“Growing up, I always thought of Detroit as a basketball town because of the Pistons, but everyone says it's really, at its core, a football town.” Growing UpGrowingFootballBasketballTownsCoreDetroit Author:Ndamukong Suh
“I've always been athletic. Growing up in Puerto Rico, and being in the countryside, I was always running around. I also played volleyball, basketball, and I ran track. I was always very conscious of my body.” BodyRunningGrowing UpGrowingBasketballConsciousTrackRanAthleticVolleyballCountrysidePuerto RicoRicoAlways Running Author:Joan Smalls
“I was a total jock growing up. I went to super-dorky basketball clinics and was handpicked to play on a state team called the Texas Heat.” StatesPlayGrowing UpGrowingTeamBasketballHeatTexasClinicJocksDorky Author:Erin Wasson
“Coaching staff: I know there's days you look at that film and you want to kill me. I'm not playing defense, taking bad shots, getting too many techs. But you always believe that I can be the guy. Through the tough times, you guys never left my side... That's something that I really appreciate and I never want to take you guys for granted. I thank you so much for being part of my life. And not just on the basketball court, but giving me talks about growing as a man first, and a basketball player next.” KnowsMenWantGivingFirstsBelieveLooksI CanFilmGuyNextLeftSidesGrowingPlayerBasketballShotsToughAppreciateCourtDefenseGrantedCoachingStaffKill MeAlways BelieveTough TimesBasketball PlayerHumblingMvpBasketball CourtCoaching StaffPlaying Defense Author:Kevin Durant
“I started taekwondo at 5 or 6 years old and did a bunch of kick-boxing later, too. Eventually I became a black belt and coached as well. I did some basketball and softball growing up, but most of my activity was martial arts.” YearsWellsArtBlackGrowing UpGrowingActivityBasketballBunchKicksBoxingMartial ArtsBeltsSoftballBlack BeltTaekwondo Author:JWoww
“My idol when I was growing up was Michael Jordan the basketball player because of his work ethic rather than his talent and because of what he went through to be as good as he was.” Growing UpGrowingPlayerTalentBasketballEthicsIdolsWork EthicJordanBasketball Player Author:Justin Timberlake
“I started playing ball when I was 13 and a half. Before that, I just wanted to play football and baseball but I kept growing so I figured it was time for basketball.” PlayWantedHalfGrowingFootballBasketballBaseballBalls Author:Moses Malone
“Growing up, I played about every sport imaginable except soccer and hockey. I've always had a passion for basketball. I remember actually playing basketball when I was two or three years old. The time I knew that I could really take my game to the next level.” YearsTwoRememberPassionThreeNextGamesSportsLevelsGrowing UpGrowingBasketballSoccerHockeyThree YearsNext LevelThree Year OldsPlaying Basketball Author:Dwight Howard
“[At nine years old] I didn't really know what that meant at the time. I thought it might be in a warm summer sport like softball, but I played a variety of sports growing up - basketball, soccer and track. I really didn't care. I just wanted to be an Olympian.” KnowsYearsMightCareWantedSportsGrowing UpGrowingBasketballSummerTrackWarmNineVarietySoccerSoftballNine YearsOlympian Author:Elana Meyers
“My fellow Wilmington, North Carolina native Meadowlark Lemon is a true national treasure. I watched him play for the Harlem Globetrotters when I was growing up and his skill with the basketball and dedication to the game were an inspiration not only to me, but to kids all around the world.” WorldPlayInspirationKidsGamesGrowing UpGrowingSkillsBasketballFellowsTreasureAround The WorldNativeDedicationCarolinaLemonsNorth CarolinaHarlemNational TreasureWilmingtonGlobetrottersMeadowlarks Author:Michael Jordan
“I wanted to do two things when I was growing up, about your age. I wanted to play in the NBA, and I wanted to be a businessman after my basketball career was over, and that is what I am doing now.” TwoPlayAgeWantedCareersGrowing UpGrowingBasketballTwo ThingsNbaBusinessmanFamous BasketballBest Basketball Author:Magic Johnson
“When we were growing up we only got two pairs of shoes every year. With me, I was lucky because I got three pairs of shoes, the third were basketball shoes: Black Air Force Ones, White Air Force Ones, and boots for the winter.” YearsTwoThreeForceBlackWhiteGrowing UpGrowingAirLuckyBasketballThirdsWinterShoesPairsBootsAir ForcePair Of Shoes Author:Iman Shumpert
“I was a better basketball player growing up in high school than I was a swimmer. Basketball to this day is my favorite sport.” SchoolSportsGrowing UpGrowingPlayerBasketballHigh SchoolMy FavoriteThis DayBasketball PlayerSwimmerFavorite Sports Author:Ryan Lochte