Jabari Parker

“I'm the type of person, I don't like to make a big deal out of problems.”

“I dreamed of playing in college one day, but the bigger dream was to play against the best talent.”

“I believe that if you love what you do, and you work hard at it, everything falls in place.”

“People in life have those issues - ups and downs - and I'm just a trailblazer to show whatever you do, you always get up. No matter how far you fall, you always get up.”

“You know I'm a Chicago kid, and Chicago will always have a big piece of my heart. But with Milwaukee - for me it was just love at first sight. As soon as I got here, I was like, Wow, this is the place for me.”

“Kids are cruel.”

“When you grow up where healthy food isn't easily accessible, you eat a lot of processed food and whatever else is available - McDonalds, fast food, cheap food.”

“I want a hard-working head coach that will push me.”

“I never support it when people want to play it safe.”

“Growing up, I admired old cars. In Chicago, on the South Side, people didn't have the newest cars, but one thing I always noticed was that they took good care of their cars. It was a pride thing. Even if you had a funky Oldsmobile, you kept it clean. You changed the oil. You took a toothbrush to the rims.”

“That's what I want to do with my life. Be a good person when all the lights are off. When everybody doesn't need to see you, shine and know that you know you did the right thing at the end of the day.”

“I focus on the team.”

“My mother didn't get her citizenship until much later in life.”

“No matter how far I get into my career, even if I get hurt again, it's just a part of who I am. On the flip, I'm a warrior, I'm a soldier, I get up. As many times as I fell, I've still gotten up, and that's way more rewarding to me than any other thing that I've ever accomplished, and I'm proud of that.”

“I don't care what haters think - I'm proud to not stay in Trump hotels.”

“I was named after a Muslim.”

“I want to play at the highest level, the NBA, and one day be one of the greatest basketball players ever.”

“I'm always looking toward the next game. You're only as good as your last one. That keeps me going.”

“You can't strip anyone of their dreams of pursuing a job.”

“That's what drives me, just to be there for my team.”