Shawn Bradley

“If you put the Lord first in your life, he takes care of you. He might not take care of you now. But when it comes time to stand before him and be judged according to our works in this world, he is a just God.”

“I want to be the kind of guy people will look at and say, 'Hey, he'd be a cool guy to have as a friend.'”

“I value my family and my religion as No. 1 and hold them almost in the same light.”

“I've always believed in the concept that you are a different person on the court than you are off. I understand how that works.”

“One game doesn't make a career.”

“Guys like to dunk on me. It's always been that way. I'm 7-6, and guys want to dunk on the 7-6 guy.”

“I love being tall. I see guys who don't handle it so well, like that Dwayne Schintzius of Florida. I don't want to sound ignorant or anything, but that guy's got a problem.”

“I had a very difficult time deciding to go on my mission. It was hard to set aside my basketball career.”

“All my life, my church, my family, my friends have always told me to have high self-esteem... to think well of myself. And that's what I've done.”

“Some lady asked me once, 'Is it hotter because you're closer to the sun?' She was dead serious. People are strange. But I love being tall and I wouldn't trade it for anything.”

“Shaq's tough.”

“I don't play the game to lose.”

“Don't let people take advantage of you because they will.”

“I've always dreamed of going on a mission. You get a chance to go out and help other people.”

“I guess I play a lot better when my confidence is high, and when you get people cheering for you it helps your confidence.”

“I was made to be 7-foot-5. That's me, that's the way I'm going to be. I want to make it a positive experience and not a negative one.”

“If you're going to play with the best in the world, you have to train like you want to be the best in the world.”

“If you don't get tested throughout your career, people can forget about you.”

“Six months before the end of my mission, I was dogged by the press to give an answer about turning pro. They were extremely persistent.”

“Sometimes change is what's needed.”