Nba Quotations | Page 5

Fans really want to feel intimate with the action. This is part of what has made the NBA so successful. You can almost smell the sweat.

There's no question that this will be a tremendous shot in the arm. Adding NBA players, especially young players who are going to develop in our league, is going to benefit everybody involved.

There's just a lot more grass-roots passion here for hockey than there is for the NBA. And the average ticket price in the NBA might be a little cost prohibitive for our market. The business model they have now in the NHL makes more sense for us.

There's not enough time to fulfill the NBA requirement, ... And I wouldn't ask them (the sports books) to, either.

I see what Tom Benson is going through, ... I don't want to be the bad guy, OK? I'd rather the NBA be the bad guy. I ask David (Stern) every day, 'What should I do? What should I say?' I can't read the tea leaves, but the day of the announcement, I knew we had hit a home run.

I've never had a buzzer-beating game-winner, but to do it in the NBA against the world champions is a great feeling. The guy I've always looked up to is Tim Duncan . So, to do this against his team is a great feeling for me.

Things like that don't bother me. Just one week ago, Paul said he wanted to play his whole career in one uniform. It's important for us to keep all our players in the right frame of mind, and it would be great if everyone felt good about everything for the whole year. But that's not the way the NBA season works. All I know is I talk to Paul and he tells me he wants to keep together and get better.

The vibe and the atmosphere in the Delta Center (during the Olympics) with the crowd cheering, it was amazing. No basketball game, no NBA game, could ever compare to the Olympics, and I just wanted to be part of it.

I've seen enough of him. I hope the next time I see him, it will be in a NBA game.

I've talked to him a couple of times. It has always been short, but it's always been good things. He always told me to keep playing the way I play and to continue to carry myself the way I carry myself. I heard through the grapevine that one of the players in the NBA he likes to watch is me. That's a great thing.

Iverson's phenomenal, ... He's one of the few guys in the NBA who's unstoppable.

These crowds are going to be like college basketball crowds. It's unlike anything else you'll see at an NBA game.

These next six games he has to get himself conditioned back to the NBA game. I thought he played well. There's daily improvement in his physical redevelopment.

These next six games he has to get himself conditioned back to the NBA game, ... I thought he played well. There's daily improvement in his physical redevelopment.

The sky's the limit with his ability and his vision of the game. I watch some of those NBA games and I happened to be watching Boston down the stretch, and I said, 'You throw him in that uniform and all of a sudden they'll be a different basketball team.' I believe that much in him.

The Sturm Group, ... also provided documented ability to fund the purchase price and ongoing operations, as well as clear evidence of the ability to meet the financial and operating requirements of the City and County of Denver and the ownership standards of the NBA and NHL.

The Spurs players and staff are eager to do what we can to help in the relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. This game will give everyone associated with our organization the chance to contribute their time and talents in the name of raising money for those affected by this tragedy. We are honored to participate in this event and look forward to the opportunity to give back to NBA fans throughout the Gulf Coast region.

The Spurs are coming because Tim is from St. Croix. It's unprecedented having an NBA team practice in the Virgin Islands, let alone the NBA champions. A lot of compromises had to be made for the Spurs to make this happen, but the Spurs were willing to make the sacrifice for Tim.

The template for success in the NBA changed from the Portland model of 1999-2000, when I got to the league, to the Detroit, San Antonio, Miami model. Although we have succeeded on the court to the point of five straight 50-plus win seasons, we certainly didn't do it 'the best way.' We did it the most expensive way. It cost us flexibility and created lots of bad habits. That was my mistake, and it ended up costing us Mike (Finley).

The Thursday-Saturday thing was a joke, in my mind, and I think most coaches would agree with that. I turned down going to the NBA ? I didn't think I'd have back-to-backs right now.

Teams don't know he has NBA range. Ryan's got no limits for distance on his 3's.

Russ and I have worked together on a daily basis for 29 years and everyone in the NBA family is aware of the enormity of his contributions to the success and growth of the league during that time,

Rush is a pro. He's not only an NBA player, but a potential NBA all-star, in my opinion, with time and maturity. He's a great player. He's shown the capability to just totally dominate games at this level.

People seem to understand even in the NBA when a really good team loses its players it's going to be a struggle,

People talk to him about the NBA all of the time. It's probably not fair, but I talked to him about it. He has the size and the talent to do it, but it is going to come down to attitude and it is obvious that Josh has the right one.

People are still awed about Argentina and what he did in an NBA setting.

People forget that it took the NBA over 20 years to reach this (point),

Of course, we're disappointed, ... But to Michael's credit, he didn't just take the money. He talked about a chance to win, and in this case, he chose to play for the NBA champions.

After a solid season this year, I would like to see where I stand as a player and realistically judge my ability in relation to the NBA draft. It has been my lifelong dream to pursue an NBA career. My family and I believe now is the best time to utilize the process that is available to us and keep my option open to continue my career at Saint Louis.

After college, I feel like we'll be NBA superstars and live the life we dreamed of.

Defensively, he's still learning. You've got to be a little bit patient because it is a transition for him. The preseason isn't a real NBA game. ... We're going to do our best to help him excel in the system.

Defensively, he's still learning, ... You've got to be a little bit patient because it is a transition for him. The preseason isn't a real NBA game. ... We're going to do our best to help him excel in the system.

Are they tired of what? What have we done? It's a hundred days to the Finals right now. This is what the NBA season is about. It's not about having three days off between a game or anything like that. This is the nuts and bolts of the NBA season. Your body doesn't feel as good, you fight a little fatigue, you have some injuries and nobody cares about injuries.

Any team that has the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and doesn't take Noah, should he make himself available in the coming weeks, would be unbelievably dumb.

Any team in the NBA would have won that gold medal instead of a team of individuals.

Any NBA player, any international player, obviously has a contractual obligation to their team first and foremost. And all the national teams are aware of that and, of course, in agreement with that. Their jobs and the team that they're playing for is their first responsibility and they're all very aware about that.

A new start is always good. But I'll miss those guys. That was my first NBA experience. There's always going to be some love there.

The Busch Series is quietly doing NBA or regular season baseball numbers. It's wearing out other sports. Busch will never be the Cup series, but we would like the new agreement for that to be a franchise of its own, treated with promotion and announcers that differentiate that series a little better as we go down the road.

That's what we spoke about in the locker room, character in an NBA game. It's more crucial to play hard in the last minute than the first 39. Anything can happen in the final minute of an NBA game.

that the combination of the global appeal of our game and the growth of television markets around the world meant that NBA games were going to be seen everywhere.

That team plays hard. You're not going to find any team in the NBA that plays harder than them. It was a good test for us.

You played with a guy who had a great career in the NBA, and the thing I like about Rik most of all is he is just a nice guy. Never did he ever display a touch of arrogance to his teammates. He was always there for everybody. I still talk to him. We're still friends. NBA meant nothing to our friendship, it never changed.

This is an international city, ... and the NBA is an international league.

This is an important and great day for Paul and his family. He's looked hard at his options, and he's made his decision, and I support him 100 percent in his pursuit of his NBA dreams.

This is an extraordinary person who just happens to be amongst the greatest fifty in NBA history and probably the best power forward to play the game. It's been fun to be along for that ride.

This is an exciting time for the Rockets. Yao is going to be a part of the Rockets for a long time. I feel he'll become one of the great players in NBA history. He's got the size, intelligence, youth, and quickness to be a phenomenal, forceful player in the league.

This is an exciting time for the Rockets. He will become one of the great players in NBA history. He's got the size, intelligence, youth, and quickness to be a phenomenal, forceful player in the league.

This is terrific news for basketball fans in D-League markets, ... Now, in addition to seeing the best basketball players in the world not playing in the NBA, they will have the opportunity to see current NBA players as well, some of whom will be future NBA stars. We've now made a quality entertainment product even better.

This is something as a kid you hope you get a chance to do. Getting a chance to play in the NBA is an awesome thing and then you get a chance to play for your country, which is something I never thought would happen.

This commitment from Shawn speaks for itself. He wants to be actively involved with the team, and you can't get more active than this. Not too many USBL teams have ever had a six-time NBA All-Star on the court.

This commitment from Shawn speaks for itself, ... He wants to be actively involved with the team, and you can't get more active than this. Not too many USBL teams have ever had a six-time NBA All-Star on the court.

This experience is a prime example of the inadequate and inconsistent interpretation of NBA standards presently being experienced by NBA referees,

They were coming in droves. It was everything from NBA people, to everything.

They're the best team in the NBA right now.

A manager can't just get up and leave if he's under contract,'' said agent Lon Cooper, whose clients include several NBA coaches.

A lot of pro teams like to play their exhibitions in various places. The NBA likes to go to different places, sometimes college campuses (where their players were popular).

All you need to do is watch a couple NBA games to know that's an automatic timeout. We have guys with enough experience to know that. It's inexcusable.

They made it clear that they liked what they saw and that our arena was appropriate for NBA games.

They played this game like it was their championship game, and rightfully so. Those guys are hungry for NBA jobs.

They have guys who go on to the NBA and we have to figure out a way to beat them. I just hope we don?t get dunked on too much.

This partnership gives Adidas the best opportunity in nearly 20 years to win market share back in this highly influential category. We are very happy that every NBA player from now on will play in Adidas products.

There was no breakdown. That's the NBA lead. Teams make runs. We knew that they would make a run. They got their fans into it, and we weren't making any shots.

There will be a ton of NBA scouts going through Valparaiso this season.

The remarkable celebrity that NBA players hold empowers them to effect change.

This is the nuts and bolts of the NBA season. Your body doesn't feel as good, you fight a little fatigue, you have some injuries, and nobody cares about injuries.

This is the most wide open I've ever seen the NBA playoffs. The only thing that would surprise me is if San Antonio and Detroit aren't in the Finals. Anything else wouldn't surprise me.

This is the most wide open I've ever seen the NBA playoffs. I mean, if the Clippers made it to the Western Conference finals, I wouldn't be shocked. If Denver made it to the Western Conference finals, I wouldn't be shocked.

They're not interested in having the NBA there.

At first, I thought he'd be a pushover, but he's tough. He's not like he looks. Right from the first, it looked like he could shoot. He looks like (former NBA standout) Steve Kerr to me.

At every level of his short NBA career, he's responded, and I think he'll respond in the playoffs. But it's not going to be easy. No matter how great those guys are, it's not easy the first time.

It's just a matter of being an NBA superstar, ... You can love it or hate it. You get a lot of things that come with it: magazine covers, cover of a video game, mega-deals, fancy cars, expensive clothes, jewelry. You've got everything at your disposal.

It's a sad story. That would surprise anybody when you hear something like that, especially as one of your peers in the NBA. We've already got a bad rap. The NBA as a whole, we've got a bad rap.

It was bound to happen. That game I had was still one of the best games in NBA history in terms of scoring and excitement of the game. You can't diminish that game by what somebody else does. You can only congratulate him.

It was definitely a good experience, getting a NBA type coach and being able to play 30 minutes a game. Going from college basketball I wasn't too accustomed to the style of play in the NBA, so being there helped me out a lot.

It was the most workouts any of the draftees did, ... and that competition against other players kept him in terrific shape. The summer league commenced July 5, which was soon after the NBA draft and he was in tiptop shape.

It was the Michael Jordan/Nike phenomenon that really let people see that athletes were OK, and black athletes were OK. Defying a previous wisdom - not only that black athletes wouldn't sell in white America, but that the NBA as a predominantly black sport could not sell in white America.

It was a tough decision to trade Wally. He has been the ultimate professional and a very good player for us through the years. I wish him nothing but the best of luck with the rest of his NBA career.

It was important to the Hornets and the NBA that we maintain a presence in Louisiana in anticipation of a return to New Orleans next season.

I told him that the NBA will always be there.

It's a quality opponent and an opportunity to play a future NBA player. It's another challenge for us.

It's an honor. It's tough enough just to make an All-Star team, but when you're able to be a starter, it just says a lot about being pretty much one of the faces of the NBA because the fans pick you.

It reminds you of the NBA draft. If you play well at the end of the year one time, the other 30 games don't matter. There are times we could be a five, six, seven or an eight team. It just depends.

I tried to get my career high. J-Kidd, he was more going for NBA history. I'm going for personal history. NBA history is another thing.

I truly believe this. Maybe people would argue, but he had the talent to be an NBA player.

It's all about timing and scheduling of the teams, ... It costs a pretty penny to do, but we look at it as trying to bring quality entertainment to the city we live in. A lot of people who live here don't ever get the chance to leave and see an NBA game. It's nice to see kids' faces light up when they see the players the first time.

It is with a great deal of excitement that I announce my decision to declare for the 2006 NBA draft. Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. There were a lot of things to consider before I made my decision to enter the draft and after careful consideration I am confident that I made the best decision for me.

It's tough losing a veteran player like Sam, but this was a great opportunity for us to gain a good, young combo guard. Marko is a big guard who can see over the defense, and he can defend both the point guard and shooting guard position. We feel we've really upgraded our defense and our team with the addition of Marko. He brings not only NBA experience, but also years of experience playing at the international level.

It's not like a switch that I turn on (in the NBA Finals). I just want to be aggressive. The shots were going down for me.

It's not just my day. It's an NBA day, it's a Jazz day, it's a Utah day and it's an NBA fan day and I'm proud to be a part of it.

For an NBA sponsor, the worst nightmare is to have two small-market teams in an NBA Finals. If it's an anomaly, the league will be OK, but if it's a trend that continues, it's not good if the top media markets aren't well represented. The problem, of course, is the league can't do anything to control this.

It's always good memories coming back here. Being part of the 50-win season with Hubie (Brown), the change from being one of the worst teams in the NBA to helping them make the playoffs ... I think the playoffs are expected here now.

It's been a good impression; he's a very good offensive player. He's got a lot to learn on the defensive end, as all rookies do. I'm not sure, yet, what his future holds here. But he's definitely on the verge of being an NBA player.

It's a very simple case as far as we're concerned. The New York Times is selling photos of NBA game action on their internet site without our permission and in violation of their agreement not to do so which is contained in the media credentials we issue to the Times and other news organizations, ... In the first place, we asked them to stop. They haven't stopped, so we have to ask the court to look into this.

It's been a bumpy road at times. He's still very confident in his abilities. He still thinks he's going to make it back and contribute at the NBA level.

It's been absolutely incredible. We've set standards for the entire NBA and Oklahoma City has proven it is a major league city.

It's part of what all point guards go through. He's our point guard. We're going to live and die with him and part of that is helping him understand the NBA and how hard it could be.

It's unfortunate that we have to rely on other teams to try and give us some help. But stranger things have happened in the NBA where people get a chance to get in.

That's one of the best teams I've seen assembled, from top to bottom. You saw the potential NBA champions in the second half.

It's nice to have veterans on your team who can take the game over when the coach gets kicked out of the game. And Anthony Goldwire showed why he played in the NBA for so long.

It's much easier to play for somebody that played. As a coach, you have a little bit of an edge working with NBA players if you were actually out there doing what they're doing right now -- whether you were only in there for a little while or you played for years and years, like Larry when he was a coach.