Mike D'Antoni

“Sometimes those labels that the league puts on players aren't right.”

“When you go into a high-pressure game, and you've got a guy that's fearless, it helps you.”

“Rondo is a very good basketball player - really good.”

“I shouldn't have left Nash in the sense that he's special as a player. You've got to nurture that. But New York was great for me.”

“The big thing about coaching is, however you are, that's how you've got to do it.”

“You don't have to be the greatest of friends off the floor. But on the floor you have to be able to play without any kind of hesitation for all your teammates. Whether you like the guy or not, you can still do what's right.”

“You have guys that are comfortable in certain roles and they've made a lot of money in the role that they've been in, so it's hard for them to change or envision doing something different from what they're doing because what they're doing obviously was giving them a lot of success.”

“It's a tough league.”

“Things don't always go smoothly.”

“You coach long enough, you're gonna get fired.”

“I don't actually like coffee. But I'm addicted to Starbucks.”

“Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're going to surprise, but you don't.”

“To me, a big man has to be able to guard on the perimeter.”

“One of the reasons I didn't make it in the NBA - I played 3 1/2 years - and one of the reasons I was in Europe for 20 years was because I lost my confidence. That comes from coaches that are emphasizing the mistakes, taking you out anytime you make one.”

“Some coaches get fired even after the best years they've ever had.”

“I will always be in basketball some way or another.”

“I think about any season, you remember your relationships.”

“Well, I don't know one coach in the NBA who doesn't have high blood pressure.”

“I don't care who guards him. He's still going to be Anthony Davis.”

“That's the challenge you take as a player, coach, whatever... executive... that you're gonna have to perform at a high level, whether that's by luck or whatever, by design, it has to get up there, otherwise it's not gonna be the most pleasant experience, but it's a challenge. And I think everybody would love a challenge like that.”