Usually I've had two jobs: be the best defender and the best scorer.
I know what I bring to the table. I know my game offensively and defensively. I think I'm one of the best, if not the best, playing two-ways.
I'm going to play at the highest I can, the best I can every night. Wherever that lands me, that's where it lands me.
In a way, it's like I want to come here, I want to play for the home team and put a Lakers jersey on. That's always going to be something that I want to fulfill.
When I first fell in love with the game, and I'm outside playing in front of the house, I'm not picturing myself in an Indiana jersey or picturing myself in a Thunder jersey. I pictured myself in a Lakers jersey.
If it's a shot for me, if I can make a play, create for someone else, I'll do that. A lot of times you run a play, everybody's watching, everybody's locked in, everybody's pulling over, and it just makes the game tougher for me.
I grew up a Lakers and a Clippers fan.
I'm confident in what I can do.
I have a goal to be the best player every time I touch that floor. Just be the best me.
When I told the Pacers I wanted to play for the Lakers, that was true feelings. I wanted to come back home.
You're not going to look at Paul and see him slacking, not carrying his weight. All the other stuff, 'Paul doesn't lead' and all that? That's fine. Go grab guys that lead, then. Let me help them lead.
I think everybody, whether they have team goals or individual goals, I think everybody would like to be the MVP of the league. But that's not what my focus is. My job is just to give everything that I have, play as hard as I can, and just try to win as much as possible. If that makes me the MVP, then so be it.
I think me making the Select Team was huge. It was the chance for me to be around those guys and see their work ethic and how they prepare. I think that's what I took the most away from it.
I've never been a guy that's been salty about the shots I'm getting. I just try to play the right way.
First and foremost, I want to give thanks to Indiana, as a state, for embracing me and my family for seven years of being there. I learned so much being there. They taught me so much.
I might be nervous off the court, being booed. But being on the court, it's my comfort zone. It's basketball. It's what I do. I'm not losing sleep over it.
I just love playoff basketball.
If my performance down the stretch lands me on the All-NBA, which I think I'm deserving of, then so be it. I'll be happy.
Oklahoma, y'all truly made a big impact on me.
My thing is, I like if I go on that court and there's a guy I don't have to worry about.
