JALEN BRUNSON

I love 'Nova nation. I love them.

I think every player who truly loves basketball wants to be in the game at all times.

There'd be days in high school where I thought I played well, my team got the win, and I'd go to the gym still in my uniform, and my dad would say, 'C'mon, let's go. We have more work to do.'

It's definitely nice to be relaxed and a normal kid and hang out.

I can control how hard I play. This is how I respond to coaching. This is how I respond to my teammates. If I focus on that, the other things that come with that are going to come.

There's always going to be a way for me to go around a defense or play mind games and find a way to win.

Honestly, I really just think I work too hard to feel any pressure.

One thing I was taught growing up is it's only pressure when you're not prepared. And you're just not working hard. Those are two things I do all the time.

Let's just say I've learned a lot and seen things differently than any other average high school kid.

Good leaders, good team players, know how to make the most of everything.

My mentality is my biggest strength.

I love the game of basketball. I love being able to work every day. I love being able to watch film, be a student of the game. It may not show emotionally, but I just love that I'm able to do this.

There's a lot of guys who are drafted and end up not playing in the NBA. They get their money for their first whatever years and end up going overseas or something like that.

I want to have the strongest work ethic.

When you see people from your area do well, you're excited for them as well.

He's always been tough on me, but I've had to figure out when he's being a coach and when he's being a dad. Once I figured that out, it was much easier. It's definitely tough, something that took years to figure out. Just knowing he was looking for what's best for me, not just yelling at me as a parent. It took maturity.

I just feel like there's a lot of things more important than just basketball, and I love basketball. It's what I want to do for the longest time possible. It's what I eat, it's what I sleep about, it's what I breathe, it's in my lifestyle. I just really feel like there's more important things than just putting the ball in the hoop.

Every game's a big game.

I was always taught that pressure comes when you aren't prepared or didn't work hard enough.

I'm pretty sure everyone in the country wants a bigger role if they're not a star player.

I just focus on what I can control, and that's how hard I play and my attitude.

Stats aren't everything.

It felt great knowing that I got to help the winningest class in Villanova history, to be able to be a part of that. It's something special.

I like who I am. I'm different. I work really hard just to be where I am, and I know I'm not gonna stop doing that.

I expect myself to be the best player I can be. I really believe I can be one of the best who's ever played. That's how hard I work. That's going to be my mindset no matter where I am or what I'm doing.