I have an incredible amount of basketball knowledge, and I think a lot of that is derived from having a Hall of Fame college basketball coach who was very knowledgeable of the game and I had a great high school coach who was also very knowledgeable.
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.
When you talk about such a tremendous player like LeBron, just trying to stop him one-on-one, you can't do it.
Defense is one man guarding the ball and four others helping him
I'm one of the best defenders to ever play basketball, so I'm still the first option on defense.
My main improvement on defense has just been my coaches. They've been teaching me defensive schemes, how to guard guys, and how to use my length.
The hand check has always been a part of pro basketball.
We guard the shooter. A lot of guys shoot way behind the 3-point line. We guard where the shooter is, not where the line is.
I learned how to defend the ball with my body and to be faster than my opponents.
Al Jefferson. One-on-one on the post, man, can't guard him.
Defense all starts with the ball and the rim-protector is the last resort, the last line of defense. I take pride in that.
My shot-blocking ability, it's really second to none.
Goaltending, sometimes it's tough because you're in the air and you say, 'No, no. Don't take the ball.'
I visualize the game. I think about who I am guarding, the things he likes to do.
I play basketball. I play center, and if you haven't watched me play, I'm not a regular big man. I can move my feet. Not saying I can stop anyone out there who's in front of me, but trust me: I can really be a problem on the perimeter guarding somebody.
It's a different animal when you're in the NBA. You come in this league and you've got 7-footers who play 7 foot who are going to protect that rim come hell or high water.
In high school, I didn't have to talk. All I had to say is 'left' or 'right' when a screen was coming.
In the NBA, there is a guy guarding you, and you really have to try shooting over him.
Once the Hack-a-Shaq works once, you know I'm going to see it again. The only thing worse for basketball than that defense is the Lack-a-Shaq offense, where I have to go to the bench because of foul trouble. There is no fun in that.
I like to always be able to contest shots. If you play against a player like Al Jefferson - he likes to pump-fake, so you need to be alert and quick. If he pump-fakes you and you go up, when you come back you need to go right back up to contest his shot.
The mismatch is not what gets you beat. What gets you beat is giving up the uncontested, open shot.
I try to use my athleticism and my strength to be able to guard bigger guys, and being able to guard bigger guys is going to get me more minutes on the floor.
I've always loved blocking shots.
Shaq is such a load. He's so big and strong, but it's possible to play well against him.
I really wasn't a good defensive player at all.
