RJ Barrett Quotes

Some guys are admired for coming to play, as the saying goes. I prefer those who come to kill.

In the summertime, I played Little League baseball; football in the fall; basketball in the winter.

We take the shortest route to the puck and arrive in ill humor.

Anytime you have a Pat Riley running things, calling the shots, you are not going to question things because he has been through it. He knows what it is all about and what it takes to win. All we have to do on our end is play basketball because we know the right calls and the right decisions are going to be made up top.

I am a team player - and that is what you need to be an effective point guard. You gotta see the court, you gotta set up the play, and you gotta let others execute for the most part. I don't throw elbows for the sake of throwing elbows, but if somebody throws one at me and it's necessary to respond in kind, I suppose I can if I have to.

My dad was the one who really loved basketball, and he was the one that put the basketball in my hands, and my mom was 'Team Mom' of all my teams. I used to play for three or four teams at once and she would just spend her entire afternoon driving me from practice to practice to practice.

This year I've just been aggressive. I still have that mindset of passing the ball, and being aggressive and attacking to the basket is going to draw more attention, and that way I can find my teammates. Being in attack mode is something I try to bring into every single game, and that's what's making me be so successful.

I get lots of fouls on me, but it is no foul because I am physical. Because I don't go down, that is the problem as well. But I will keep playing my game. Why would I change? It's my game.

Mike D'Antoni is a great offensive mind. He's a great coach.

I've done it before, and I might do it whenever we need to as a big guy... I'll take it. A hard foul is part of the game, which is good.

My dad's view about coaching was that you have to express yourself. When I was young at academies, I wasn't allowed to do that.

One thing when I started playing in the league, I saw that a lot of guys are friendly. It's OK to be friendly, especially off the court. But on the court, I want to dominate.

I like to dominate 100 percent. I don't want to just beat you - I want to wear you down.

I feel like I'm one of the most physical players in the league - I love contact. I love attacking. I love going to the free throw line.

You got to have the killer instinct. If you do not have it, forget about basketball and go into social psychology or something. If you sometimes wonder if you've got it, you ain't got it. No pussycats, please.

I understand the NBA and the role I play on my team. I know that I have to play a leadership role and do whatever I have to do to win.

I can't stand a ballplayer who plays in fear. Anybody who has a good shot has got to take it and keep taking it. So he misses...so what?

What rivalry? I win all the matches.

I always had the same style of play. I didn't really worry about people kicking me.

Play and practice like you are trying to make the team.

Working with all of these kids is great. It doesn't get any better than this, to come down and inspire kids who want to play the game of basketball and put smiles on their faces.

My dad was a huge basketball influence in my life on and off the court. Playing for him and having him around, having him push me harder than maybe another coach would have was a huge blessing for me. Getting to play with my brother was an unreal experience at Oklahoma, in college, it's some of the funnest times I've had in basketball, and I'll cherish those memories forever.

I do not want players who do not have a keen desire to win and do not play hard and aggressively to accomplish that objective.

Back when I played, basketball was all about fundamentals, about hustling, getting those loose balls, all those rebounds under the basket. That equals up to 12, 14, 16 points. You can lose a game with that much. It's different watching basketball now. People don't play the same way. It doesn't matter if you score, if you can't stop the other team from scoring. Our coach used to kick our ass if we didn't. I was told if you saw more of the other team color under the basket than your own team color, you ain't doing your job. Everybody should be under the board, trying to get that ball.

I hate to lose more than I like to win.