Gilbert Arenas Quotes

When you go into a game on offense, you make a couple moves and see what the defender is going to do. Then you pretty much can figure out what he is going to do against you - whether he carries his hands low or high, whether he is bumping or pushing, those type of things.

Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.

You've gotta play a head game; especially blocking shots, you've gotta make it hard. You're playing against the best of the best: they're not gonna go straight to the basket, do a layup. You've gotta lure them into some shots.

Boxing is like chess. You encourage your opponent to make mistakes so you can capitalise on it. People think you get in the ring and see the red mist, but it's not about aggression. Avoiding getting knocked out is tactical.

I like to take the floor apart mentally. I like to visualize an opponent going for you.

I don't adjust my training for any of my opponents. I don't watch films on my opponents.

Getting up to Zaire - getting ready to fight Muhammad Ali - I thought this will be a matter of just a little exercise. I'll probably knock him out in three rounds. Two, three - maybe three and a half rounds. That was the most confidence I had in my whole life.

I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.

I guess when people ask what is the biggest transition to the NBA from college, it is definitely defense and the mental part.

At least with me, the match starts much, much earlier than the actual match.

I probably visualize myself, the shots I'm going to get in the game, how I'm going to play defense, what we have to do to stop the other team's best player, what it's going to take out of me, the whole aspect of the game.

My mental approach is totally different. My coach predicated everything on defense. He always talked about defense, defense, defense. I took it to heart that if you play defense, you can take the heart from an offensive player.

The more prepared I am, the calmer I will be.

I think Cormier is gonna come out and try to wrestle me, try to get me tired, and try to push the pace. I know he might not say that I'm on his level but I think I am and he thinking that I'm not, really.

Of course you think about the goalkeeper you are facing before a game. You have to prepare yourself for the game and think about the weakness of the players you are up against.

Nervous can be good. It means I'm ready to go.

Your mind is just constantly moving, thinking of different scenarios, not only on your team but their team too, trying to figure out things they are doing.

Before I go up against the best forwards in the world - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar - I study their strengths and weaknesses like an obsession, and then I plan how I am going to attack. My goal is to show the world that Dani Alves is on the same level.

I know since my first fight in the UFC I can beat Ronda Rousey, but of course I have to take my time and put everything together.

That's how you get better on defense; not just 'oh, man, my guy beat me,' but you have to think about, 'okay, my man beat me, so I either have to pick up the next man, or I'm going to give somebody a foul.

Think about the deflections. The offense can't score every play. They're just trying to get a good shot. If I can deflect a pass, even if it doesn't cause a turnover, it will throw their timing off half-a-second. That half-a-second might mess up their shot.

My first mind-set when I am out on the field is to defend well and not concede.

Tonya Verbeek is a rival of mine I always come up against in the semis or the final of the Olympics. We have been fighting each other for a long time, so she knew my wrestling, and I knew hers... I was thinking that the only thing I could do was somehow to deceive her, anticipate her and get in my tackles.

I'm not a big guy that watches technique from my opponents. I try to do what I do best and hope that my stuff is better than their best stuff.

It's how I've been playing my whole life, guarding the best player on the other team.