Quotes from John Stockton

The key word is 'control.' I have to get to the point where I can do it like Magic does. That means penetrating, scoring more, taking over on offense once in a while, increasing my range on the outside shot to open things up for the drive.

I want my kids to have a life like I did growing up. The greatest gift I was given in life was from my parents. Though I can't match them, I'd like to be that kind of parent.

You don't get this opportunity many times in life to compete against the best in the world every night. I certainly didn't expect to have 10 or 11 years of chances at it, so I don't want to take that for granted.

I never thought I'd make it in the NBA, so everything else is gravy.

To be a great player and a great scorer, you have to find ways to get yourself open and get shots off. It's a dog fight.

I have a great respect for people that write. I don't know how they do it every day... or do novels that they have to use their minds instead of just their memories. It's tough duty.

I try to exploit things against everybody; that's part of the game: beat the guy that guards me while you're beating their team.

I had little or no expectations coming in. I was thrilled when I was drafted in the first round because that meant I was going to be given a full year's chance to make the team.

You thrive off everybody on your team. If one guy's playing well, that makes your job easier. If a guy's shooting well, it makes your job easier. If a guy's rebounding well, it makes your job easier.

I frequently recall his sage advice to me at our first meeting: "Don't change who you are now that you've 'arrived.

You have to absolutely love what you are doing or you will become a slave to it.

I'm convinced that, unfortunately, the general direction of rule changes for a long time has been to carve out greater space for the individual athlete while curbing the impact of team play. This narrows the opportunities to participate. In general, only "cookie cutter" athletic prodigies get serious looks. In my opinion, tinkering with the game to distort the natural balance between team and individual play is counterproductive.

I was hooked. He started me with shorter reads, books such as Endurance,7 which chronicled Ernest Shackleton's adventures in Antarctica. Later he led me into much larger challenges, such as Undaunted Courage,8 which depicts the journey of Lewis and Clark, and many more interesting and exciting literary adventures. I often exchanged these books with my dad and Coach Pickett back home for their best choices as well, which included Truman,9 and Freedom from Fear.10 I

I have an ego like everyone else. I want to be recognized as a good ballplayer.

I heal quickly, and I stay in good shape, and I will stay in good shape.

Depending on the point in the game and what's necessary, if you can deliver the play, whatever that is - heck, if it's a screen - and you get a guy open, and he scores a big basket for you, that gives me as much of a charge as anything.

I think there are a lot of ways to play the PG position. Scoring first is a way that works for them and their teams. I personally like to watch PGs that like to work for others.

It's great to win, regardless of how you did it.

I don't think about the record, because winning games has to be our focus, and if we lost focus thinking about that record, I would really regret it. How will I feel later on? People tell me it will mean a lot after I retire, for the kids and me. But to me, it's just a stat. It's something people enjoy talking about. Me? I just enjoy playing.

You can't afford to hop around and act like a kid when you have to get back on defense and worry about the other parts of the game. But at the end, when the buzzer sounds, you have the luxury of hopping around and looking foolish for a while.

I know my first years sitting on the bench, largely behind Rickey Green, was a great learning tool for me.

My impression is that the NBA always precluded anything else.

I was always the kid dribbling the ball on the sidelines, hoping someone would pick me. I'd go with my older brother to the gym or park, and when I went out there, I'd pass the ball so I could get picked again.

I don't like to give in to injuries. I don't like to use them as excuses. Everybody has them.