Quotes from Tristan Thompson

If I don't play, that's fine as long as we're winning I'm going to cheer my teammates on.

If I'm not on the court, I have to be there to cheer my teammates on and from the sideline be there mentally and keep guys locked in and focused.

I try to attack the glass, get rebounds and create possessions for my teammates because that's what I'm here to do. But if they face guard or put two or three guys on me I'm going to keep going to the glass and keep being relentless.

We need everyone, every game. So I'm not going to put myself in the position to hurt my team or my teammates.

If a guy is shooting a shot in the corner 70 percent of the missed shots usually come off that other side and 30 percent hits off the front rim so just playing the percentages and kind of studying your teammates' shots throughout the course of the game.

I understand my teammates. I know which teammates you can get on during the game, and which respond better to constructive criticism.

I think when I moved to the United States and saw how serious basketball was and how good I was compared to everyone else. You just came from Canada and you're top five in the country; you're young and everyone says you can be a pro. That's when I started thinking: if I work hard, the dream can come true.

We've all got different ways to deal with adversity as pros, but if you want it and you want to be great, you've got to make it happen and fight through it.

Whoever says basketball ain't a contact sport definitely lied.

Whoever's in the game has got to be ready to play, take the scout serious and understand what we're doing. If you don't know what to do, ask questions.

Ever since I joined the Cavilers, my job has always been the same. I just come out and play hard. Be a hard hat guy, punch in the clock and just play my game. That's not going to change.

Guys see that I come to work every day, punch the clock. They see that, and I think my voice is respected because of it.

Guys are going to talk. We're going to respond... they aren't going to punk us. Not me. They're not going to punk Tristan Thompson.

The bruisers and the bump-and-grind guys, use your athleticism on the floor, try to wear them out - run them through a lot of pick-and-rolls, run the floor, do a lot more athletic stuff just to try to wear them down.

I want to guard the best wings and big on every team. I want to make their night tough to gain that respect defensively around the league.

I think playing the 5 is an advantage for me. I'm much quicker than a lot of the other centers in our league.

Goal of mine is to make first team All-Defense. The way you do that is guarding the best players.

Guard some point guards, late shot clock, hopefully they miss.

If I came in and didn't rebound, that would look bad on my part. People would be wondering, what was he doing the whole time?

Some guys have to score more off the bench because that's what their team needs. But some other teams need someone that's going to assist or rebound. It all depends on what he brings to that team and how much it helps their win-loss record and how much they change their team.

Sometimes, it's the little plays that I make that can change the outcome of the game - whether it's blocking a shot or blitzing a guard or getting an offensive rebound.

I don't really pay attention to the guy I outwork for the rebound, it's really just hearing the crowd just be like, 'Ohhhhh.' They just get frustrated. That's a good feeling.

Obviously, everyone wants to play in the NBA but I think if you handle what's in front of you first you'll get your chance when your name is called.

Being myself has worked out pretty well for me I think.