MATT BARNES

Even though the city of Memphis and this organization has welcomed me with open arms, I play every game like it's my last. Play as hard as I possibly can. Been no different my whole career.

With 2Pac you can't go wrong.

I'm an aggressive player. I always have been.

It's tough to stay focused and be able to separate life from our job. We are paid to perform, and we are performers. You gotta have good brothers to lean on.

I always wanted to do NBA Cares but they didn't want me to represent the league. I just did Matt Cares instead. I went to Africa by myself to do camps and clinics.

People don't realize that everyone in the NBA is really good. The difference is having a coach that believes in you.

You have to stay locked in. You're so locked in on guarding your guy you figure when the ball goes up the bigs are going to get it. But the possessions not over until you get the rebound.

I mean, this is basketball, you have a lot of different teammates and you move around a lot, to find true friends is something special.

I've had to fight every year. That's kept me hungry.

I respect all my opponents, but I fear no one.

I kind of have a bad-guy reputation.

We can't beat any team by ourselves.

Running hard I can get some easy points, and I'm definitely going to keep doing that.

My mom was my rock, my confidant and my best friend. She was an elementary school teacher who worked with students with disabilities and she lived every day giving back to her family and her community.

It comes with experience and learning and knowing the game. It's not necessarily about sticking your chest out and saying, 'I'm tough.'

Refs need to get over themselves.

I've learned that everything is a slow process in the TV and movie industry.

In the NBA you better come to play every night, where in the NBDL the talent level just isn't there and maybe you have guys taking a night off.

I like being the hated one.

Everything I do is major news.

I just think that my road has been so difficult to get where I'm at that I don't take anything for granted.

Sometimes I act off emotion, but I also try to speak my mind. Take it or leave it, really.

Every one of us has the ability to raise awareness, volunteer, educate our friends and family, and give back to our communities.

Fatherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Being traded and moving teams, it's difficult, especially when you have families.