Rebecca Lobo

“I've also always known that I wouldn't be playing for the N.B.A.”

“Petty things don't bother me as much as they used to.”

“Basketball is always a piece of my life, but never the centerpiece.”

“I think every time I go in a game, I have added something positive. I have gotten a rebound or made a defensive play. That is what I try to focus on.”

“In third grade, I was taking tap-dance lessons, and about six weeks before the recital I wanted to quit. My mom said, 'No, you're going to stay with it.' Well, I did it, and I was bad, too! But my parents never let their kids walk away from something because it was too hard.”

“I am being taken care of by a higher being than myself or my coaches or my training staff.”

“I like being on the floor, listening in on the huddles. It makes me feel like a player again.”

“My goals have gone from being an all-star to just being able to play basketball. I always took for granted that I could play. Now I know what a gift it is.”

“I have no regrets about my career or retiring. Not once have I thought 'Gosh, I wish I was back on the court.”

“Athletes who take to the classroom naturally or are encouraged to focus on grades should be able to do well in the classroom. I believe the reason you go to college is to get your degree. It's not a minor league or an audition for the pros.”

“Femininity and sport can go together.”

“There's nothing masculine about being competitive. There's nothing masculine about trying to be the best at everything you do, nor is there anything wrong with it. I don't know why a female athlete has to defend her femininity just because she chooses to play sports.”

“Winning an Olympic gold medal is like nothing else.”

“People have to understand what my game is. It's not all about numbers. There's a bigger picture here. I don't create off the dribble. I rely on my teammates; my role is to set screens and get rebounds.”

“I'm happy and at peace with where I am at life.”

“Ridiculous stuff happens when I travel.”