I had a beautiful life as a basketball player.
I play my best when I'm enjoying myself. So whoever I play against, I try to have fun.
People in the NBA, as far as Europeans or international players, they respect them now. I didn't have any respect from anybody. I had to earn my way.
Basketball gave me everything.
I have to give a lot of credit to David Stern to open up the league, but also in my case, Jerry West and Dr. Buss that had the vision of international guys making it to the NBA.
The year when I left my country, there was still peace. The year after, the war broke out, a lot of people lost their homes, lost their families. When I go back 20 years later I still find people living in refugee camps. So I tried to help them find homes.
Shaq wasn't talented - he was just strong. I was talented, but I wasn't strong.
I started playing in school. Lots of kids in Yugoslavia play basketball.
Well, the league is changing every year. It changed when I came. It changed before me. First of all, we have to be thankful for all those guys in the '60s and '70s. They made this league one of the best sports leagues in the world.
For a lot of Croats, if you're a Serb, they don't want to associate with you. It's just stupid.
To build a friendship takes so much time and so many years. To ruin it, just seconds.
People always said you shouldn't get in politics and talk about politics. But I believe the politics are all around us.
Winning begins with culture and character matters.
When I used to play, I loved playing international because it's more freedom and more ability to improve.
Wins heal everything.
Love liberates you and gives you the power to make the impossible possible.
To me, the game of basketball has always been about love.
I believe that love gives you the freedom and power to share your best self and to inspire others.
Just like in life, when you play basketball, you have to give in order to receive. On the court, you're not only making things move along by giving the ball, but you're also giving your physical and mental strength, your passion, your talent, your trust in your teammates. This way the power can multiply and the whole team wins.
Jerry West really helped a lot, and so did players like Magic Johnson. That's why, at the end of my career, I wanted to finish my career with the Lakers.
