C. J. McCollum Quotes

There's far more that goes into being a professional athlete than being a college athlete. So many differences that people don't realize. It's not just about playing football and getting paid to do it. There's a lot of things that you have to deal with.

I remember in the early days when we played six nights a week for a month and I was doing my long drum solo every night. My hands were covered in blisters.

People love to say we get paid a lot of money to play a game, but it stopped being a game when you start getting paid.

I feel pressure every day. It is only pressure that I put on myself, but I would expect all professional sportspeople to feel pressure to perform their best whenever they are at work.

Playing 10 years in the NHL, almost 600 games, there's going to be some wear and tear for everybody.

I always say I wish I was in my prime matching up against LeBron. Let's see how many championships he would have won then.

I'm like LeBron, man. I'm like a smaller LeBron. That's why I'm not in the NBA. If I had about five, six more inches, I'd be in the league.

I used to watch LeBron on TV growing up, and now I'm playing my first game against him.

There's going to be wear and tear on your body; that's just the nature of the sport, no matter if you're a rookie or if you're 10 years deep in the league.

Most guys in my position don't get drafted to such a high-caliber team like the Celtics, so it makes me work harder because I have to compete and earn everything.

In China you have to be in peak form because you need to do well. You earn a lot - I had a huge salary - but then you have to prove you are worth it. Every match is a challenge and I played next to or faced some truly great players.

It's not easy to play 162 games and be focused the whole time. It takes a lot out of you.

I don't want to be one of those players that gets the contract and the main focus is on him.

I played for Miami, with LeBron. They cut me. I got drafted by the Lakers, they traded me to Miami. Bron got there, they cut me. I remember it like it was yesterday. So yeah, it's a chip on my shoulder.

Being the heavy favorite is not always a good thing because of the amount of pressure on an athlete.

I grew up watching LeBron.

Well, this game is not easy. There are 29 other teams, and less than 1% of the world is playing at the highest level, all supposed to be here.

The demands of excellent NFL quarterbacking I always said took every piece of me, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. It was like it just took it all, and I think that was what was so energizing about it and unreplicable.

You play 162 days, and you play every day, or you try to play every day, and it's going to take a toll on your body. But that's what we're out here for. We're out here to play.

It did not matter whether it was preseason, regular season, my first playoff game, or the Super Bowl, I was nervous. And all that meant was that it always mattered to me. Anytime I was putting myself on a line, it didn't matter what it was, it was okay to be nervous because it was important to me. It was important to do my job well.

It's part of being an elite player, you get attention.

I didn't think I was going to be doubled my first NBA game. I knew it would happen eventually, but I got off to a hot start, so as a result, I got double-teamed.

I'm a fan of LeBron James. I'm not really a team fan; I'm just a fan of one player.

There's always a pressure on performing the best.

When I played for Arsenal, like once per month, you always had this feeling you had to perform.