Quotes from Goran Dragic

You can see a lot of technical fouls, ejections but at the same time, it's a man's sport.

I would not want to be a firefighter.

They teach that in Europe. When you penetrate and you feel some guy next to you, you just pump fake and stop and turn. It's an old move I used all my career, so it comes natural.

Sometimes on the outside courts we'd play and guys would get into fights. I never backed down, even if the guy was stronger and I'd get punished.

If you come into a season without goals, you're just going through practice and it doesn't mean anything to you. But if you set goals, you're pushing yourself.

Off the court I'm always shy, I don't talk much. On the floor I'm a different guy.

I always had this in my head that I could play in this league, that I'm good enough... but of course you have to prove that on the floor.

I like to experience all different kinds of foods.

Everybody has their own opinion and it's, how you say, a free country. Everybody can speak freely.

I watch tape of players - Chris Paul, Deron Williams, all the top players who play my same position.

Hopefully I'm going to be a good father. I'm going to try and give my best.

My grandma died by cancer.

I have friends, family, we always as a family we're really tight.

I want to be at a high level for as long as possible.

The older you get, the more you need to work on your game and try to survive with those young fellas out here.

I played for 12, 13 years nonstop. That takes a toll on your body.

I mean, I was always hoping to play in the NBA. Of course, when that thing happened, you're like, 'Finally, I did it, but the work starts now.' I didn't want to just be known as OK, I came to the NBA, and then in a few years, you're gone. First my goal was to be the best Slovenian player in the league. Of course, after that, your appetite goes up.

Somebody said that I'm the worst player in the NBA, and my last name should not be Dragic, but 'Tragic.' Every time I was in a practice court, I had this in my mind.

I'm like, how do you say, a little version of Tony Parker. But I must work hard to be as good as he is.

I'm a basketball player. I can play the whole game. Of course, when you get older, it's a little bit tougher, but whatever.

My first time alone in Spain playing basketball - that kind of made me tougher, especially for my character and my personality. It's not easy when you're alone. Some nights you have bad games or bad days and it's not easy. I think that is the one thing that changed me, to make me a better person, a tougher guy.

I always say I'm hurting sometimes, have a lot of injuries. But if you win a game, I feel great. But if you lose the game, those injuries, they come up. I don't know how to explain it, winning is such a unique thing.

When I came to the league, a lot of people were saying Dragic's name was 'Tragic.' That hurts a little bit. I always have those comments in the back of my head and try to prove to all those people that they were mistaken.

Even people back home, when I went to the NBA they were questioning whether I was good enough, I'm skinny, I don't have outside shot. As a player, sometimes that criticism, you just have to take that and try to convert it into motivation.