Patrick Ewing Quotes

When I went to the Dolphins, we retained most of their coaching staff, and of course, we had a few veteran players. So, I just tried to add a few pieces here and there.

The intensity and importance of each possession. That's the thing about the NBA that doesn't always translate to television.

I think I can bring a lot to the triangle offense. Derek Fisher wasn't the tallest guard, but what he did is succeed and have a great career. I'm looking forward to learning from him. I've never played in the system, so I want to get there early.

The NBA has made a real issue about really making these superstars the premium that everybody wants to go to. That's their calling card and their marketing tool. But the coaches at the other end of the sphere are trying to make everybody on the team, even nine, 10, 11, 12, just as important, and have a real role that's meaningful.

In club football you have your players and staff with you all the time, preparing for two games a week, you know them inside out, you have a discipline over them.

I want to be on the field. It's a better place to talk to the guys. It's a relaxed atmosphere. You want to make sure you know what's going on, not just with the hitters.

But it's been a learning experience; learning the NBA, learning the travel schedule and certain coaches, their styles, what they like to run out of timeouts, personnel, tendencies.

Some coaches don't want their players to be the stars. They want their systems to be the stars.

Being on the court you can really negate your athletic ability by just being in the right position.

Teams do not make their debut in the first XI - individuals do - but it is the team that enables the individual to get the best out of himself. Football IQ, I call it, understanding roles and the team structure.

People talk about tactics, but when you look at it, tactics are just players. You change things so that the team can get the most out of the skills they have to offer, but you don't go any further than that.

Whether it's the best player or the 12th man next to the Gatorade cooler, understanding the personalities on your team is key.

I love working with Coach O'Brien, Coach Godsey, and they are terrific football coaches.

Whenever I hear people crying about Kobe yelling at people in practice or wondering whether or not LeBron is best friends with his teammates, I just roll my eyes. You know how many off-court conversations I had with the Zen-Master Phil Jackson in my entire time with the Lakers? One.

Everyone's system in the NBA makes sense. It all comes down to the quality of player and the quality of execution.

Mascherano's impact as a leader is more important inside the squad, and Messi's leadership is more important in the pitch.

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.

I'm planning to go watch tape to see what D-Wade did when he played with LeBron. I need to learn how to be effective out there with him.

You need young, hungry, developing players in your team, but you also need that experience to level things out and get hold of some of the youngsters when they need advice in certain areas of the pitch.

That's the thing: To be successful in the NFL, you have to start by having a quality coach and a quarterback that can kind of lead the team. If you have the trust of the quarterback, then you can build everywhere else.

LeBron is the best player in our league, but some people have a hard time playing with him.

You don't know a player until you coach him.

The thing about playing basketball in Houston was we had a great coach, great system, and we had guys that believed in me. Once you get that belief in you, it's easy to play basketball, so, we really never had so-called role players.

I just want to be a complete player.

The number 10 player is the star of the team, and you have more responsibility.