Jayson Tatum Quotes

That's a special time, to get drafted.

Having my name called to be the first pick for the Phoenix Suns was mind-blowing. Having all that confidence and leading up to that point when I saw Adam Silver come out, I was just waiting for my name, and when he called it, my mind went blank.

I was blessed to play 15 years, especially not even supposed to have made it. So, to be able to play 15 years, win a championship, I think that basketball chapter of my life is done.

When you're bad in the NBA, you're in the lottery. When you're great in college, you get multiple lottery picks.

I was just 18 years old, excited about being drafted to the N.B.A. I felt like all of Houston was watching me. My high school was watching me. I think they had a draft party at my coach's house. I'll never forget that day, being in the green room with my family and my agent.

I still say one of the greatest moments in my whole NBA career was getting drafted.

During my senior year, there were NBA scouts at my games. At some point, I guess, I started hoping I'd get drafted by a team where there would be a great situation for me. As it turned out, Portland was the best situation for me.

I used to say my biggest accomplishment was just getting drafted, whether it was the first pick or the 100th or whatever.

I've heard a lot about what second-round picks usually do - whether it's D-League or whether it's not playing - but for me, I have high expectations of myself regardless of where I'm picked.

When I graduated from Utah, I was headed into the biggest job interview of my life, the NFL Draft.

If I'm able to get drafted by the New York Knicks, it would be a blessing.

I've been criticized my whole career. When I got drafted in the second round in the green room, they said I wouldn't even make it in the N.B.A.

I want to have a long career in the NBA. First, I want to be an All-Star, and hopefully one day I can win a ring with the New York Knicks.

LeBron is making a case for himself to be one of the greatest players to ever play.

I came into the league in '94.

Portland doesn't read like a basketball town, unless you remember what the NBA was like before it exploded into the mainstream in the Eighties: back when cities like Seattle, Baltimore, and Philadelphia moved the needle.

If Cleveland takes me No. 1, it would be a great opportunity, first of all, and that goes for anyone taking me in any position.

I can probably go down in history as the best backup point guard ever in NBA history.

It's been a dream come true, you know, just making it to the NBA and being drafted by a great franchise like Boston.

If you look at the history of the NBA, guys that came out of high school are the guys that held the NBA together. You look a Kobe Bryant, you look at a LeBron, these are household names.

My most memorable dunk, that I think about very, very often, is the Patrick Ewing dunk.

Playing USA Softball has been more to me than I ever imagined possible.

Lakers were able to maintain a certain level of talent and success and so were the Celtics. So after awhile it became part of people's sports lore...

If I'd gone straight to the NBA, I don't think I would have been ready as a player or a person.

For years now, the Lakers have expressed interest in having me play for them, but we could never get the stars to align. I'm finally a Laker...