Sometimes you just need a little push every now and then to keep going, even when the odds are stacked against you.

Nothing in life is going to be smooth sailing.

When you're in sports, you're around somebody for a really long time. You're with these people. You travel with them. You eat together. When you spend as much time with someone on a team, you really get to know them - good, bad or indifferent. But you come together on the court for a common goal.

I grew up in the projects in North Philly. And when you grow up in the projects in North Philly, no one thinks you're going to amount to anything. Like, seriously.

If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each player.

Some of my earliest lessons in perseverance were being turned away from the basketball court by the guys in the neighborhood when all I wanted to do was play. With persistence, I found I could wear them down and get out on the court.