Jaylen Brown

The chips fall into place, but the educational experience I had at Cal, second to none.

I just want to develop and be the best player I can be.

I don't want to come into a situation like the NBA and have to develop for two or three years. When I come in, I want to be a superstar.

I definitely feel like you have an influence. I'm 21 years old, and I'm thinking about the kids that are from my neighborhood, from my community, that are looking up to me and seeing me handle myself a certain way, so I do feel a responsibility in that sense to handle myself a certain way in front of those guys.

Sports is a unique thing in our country. It's so influential. It's almost like a sacrament for religion.

I'm not saying that players should go out and say random things, especially if they don't know anything about it. But I think players do know more than people give them credit for. People do research, and people are entitled to their own opinions.

Who's to say because you're just a basketball player, or you are a basketball player, who's to say you can't chime in on other subjects or other important topics?

I don't believe in holding your tongue, especially if it's something you can directly benefit from or some people need to hear.

You've got athletes who are politicians, venture capitalists, musicians, rappers, etcetera. It's becoming more of a popular thing to have other interests outside of basketball, and I think that's normal. Just like when people work day jobs, they have interest in sports, they do investments, they do all these other types of things.

I've taken thousands of shots in the corner. It's all mental. That's all it comes down to, is to be ready, wait for your opportunity, and execute.

I hate taking pills. Like, I probably haven't taken a pill in over 10 years.

More people care about LeBron James than some religious leader.

Athletes have all the influence in the world. Everyone wants to hear what you have to say.

When I open my mouth and talk, sometimes people say they are amazed of my intellect. I don't know if that's because I truly speak in a way that people can understand or feel a certain way, or because they don't expect it. I don't know. That's something I am curious about.

There's bigger threats in my neighborhood than LeBron James, so I have no fear whatsoever of LeBron.

LeBron's a good player, but I look at him as just a regular guy to me.

I want to understand everything so I can put myself in a position to be successful.

Everything is educational.

David Ortiz is almost like a superhero. The type of love that he gives and everything, the positivity that's around him - a lot of people admire him and respect him.

LeBron's probably the best player in the world, so you just have to make it tough for him, make him take tough jump shots and things like that.

I'm just trying to establish myself, play the game the right way with my teammates, have fun, make the right plays, and get adjusted to the pro game. It's different from college. It's a little bit faster, so I'm just trying to get as comfortable as I can on the court.

I think that's kind of who I am. I just try to be vocal and try to lead by example.

I'm not really worried about anybody or anything. I think I have a lot to offer. It's just, with your rookie year, your body, it's just a lot. It may seem foolish, all those dunks and stuff: they look cool, but it takes a toll on your body, for sure.

Playing in front of your home crowd, they can almost be like the best sixth man in the league, especially being in Boston.

The way the NBA is going forward with versatility and everybody being able to play multiple positions, I'll fit right in.

I'm strong enough to guard the big guys and have enough heart to lock them down.

The fans care about somebody who cares about them. It's not all about somebody who can put the ball in the cup. I think that's my calling.

A lot of players get to a certain point they don't want to make mistakes. They just want everyone to see how great they are. That ends up being their downfall. You put a cap on yourself.

I wake up every day doing what I love to do. I love to play basketball.

I've been blessed to have a lot of mentors in my life that just have been good people and hard workers. Jae Crowder is one of them; Jimmy Butler is one of them.

I'm overly confident. I believe in myself 100 percent. I believe in my game, and I believe in my work ethic.

I always have a point to prove where I have a chip on my shoulder at all times.

I really feel like there's nothing I can't do on the floor.

I'm not a guy that's going to shoot 10 3s a game - I like to get to the basket. But some of those shots I do gotta take. Some of those shots I gotta let fly.

I've worked on my shot because that's what people have been critiquing me on my whole life. I've gotten a lot better at it, and I continue to get better at it.

I think it's becoming cool to have mental toughness or to meditate. It's a thing, but I don't think people really understand the value of it.

I just think Trump's character and some of his values makes him unfit to lead. For someone like him to be president and in charge of our troops? It's scary, to be honest.

There's this idea of America that some people have to win and some have to lose, so certain things are in place to make this happen. Some people have to be the next legislators and political elites, and some have to fill the prisons and work in McDonald's. That's how America works. It's a machine which needs people up top and people down low.

I disagree that an athlete can't be intelligent. Some people think that, in basketball, we have a bunch of masculine adults who don't know how to control themselves. They're feeble-minded and can't engage or articulate ideas. That's a narrative they keep trying to paint.

Some people think racism has dissipated or no longer exists. But it's hidden in more strategic places.

I don't know if I like getting hit, but I try to draw contact.

At the end of the day, basketball is basketball. You've got a whole life to live.

Jae Crowder, he's like my big bro.

Before you can lead anybody else, you gotta put yourself in the right position to be successful.

If I want any shot at getting on the floor, I gotta know what I'm doing defensively.

Why, when an athlete says something, why is it downplayed or considered not OK? I've always challenged that notion.

People will come at me telling me to wear this or wear that. If I don't like it, I don't like it. They couldn't pay me to wear it. If it's something I can rock with, I'll rock it. I'm more interested in being completely authentic to me. In my opinion, being myself is making a statement.

Sports and education, I think they overlap.

I would go to games like I go to dinner. If I come and wear something crazy, I'm just trying to be myself.

Athletes aren't allowed to have an opinion. It's tough. Athletes are evolving right in front of our eyes. You see athletes who are politicians, etc., and still, we're told to shut up and dribble.