They Said It

back to bball league | quotes from: 2006-07 | 2005-06 | 2004-05

2008-09 Season
"That was false. You ask Coach, it never happened. But if it did, why would it be a problem?"
— The Warriors' Stephen Jackson, denying reports of a recent confrontation with coach Don Nelson.

"I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' I played with a broken finger, a severely sprained ankle ... In the Finals, I was trying to play Michael Jordan with a pulled hamstring muscle, and a calf muscle ... The only way I couldn't go out there is if my leg was amputated, I only had one leg, and I was going to hurt my team."
— Gary "The Glove" Payton, comparing the injuries of today's players to those from back in the day.

"They left me out for dead. It’s like we’re in a foxhole and I’m facing the other way. If I got shot in the head, at least you want to get shot by the enemy. I got shot in the head by my own guys in my foxhole. And they didn’t even give me an honorable death."
— The always amusing Stephon Marbury.

Wordiest Quote of the Week
"At a time when the Knicks, in what is supposed to be a brave new Isiah-less world, as they try to move out of the calamity that Isiah Thomas left behind, have magically managed to damage their brand a little more, Marbury has damaged his own at a time when he is looking to get himself a new contract at the end of the year and not be on his way to Latrell Sprewell-ville. In so many ways he is still the basketball child of Brooklyn, literally and figuratively, who thinks the whole sport is somehow organized around him."
— Mike Lupica on the Knicks' latest woes.

"Practice? We're talking about practice?"
— Allen Iverson, after saying he would do whatever coach Curry asked in order to win, responding to a reporter's question if that included practice.

"Not much has changed in 20 years. The Orlando Magic honored the players from their inaugural season of 1988-89 Wednesday night and then came out and played just like them."
— Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel.

"Luxurious."
— Stephon Marbury, describing the long NBA season.

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2007-08 Season
"I am looking forward to seizing the moment and taking advantage of it."
— The Sixers' Andre Iguodala, on the first round matchup against the Pistons.

"We're losers. We lose. That's all we do. That's all there
is to say."
— The Bulls' Joakim Noah, summing up the Bulls' season.

"We're more of a collegiate team right now because we do a lot of drills at practice because we have so many young kids. He jumps right in there as a 32-year-old veteran who's been successful — he's in the middle of every drill. When I saw that, I said, 'This kid's the glue of the team, and unless somebody makes us a crazy offer, we're holding onto him because he's too important.' "
— Sixers' GM Ed Stefanski, on Andre Miller (who has got to be at least in the conversation for MVP).

"I like what Garnett said about Glen Taylor (the T-Wolves' owner), he let that go. That's the difference between me and Kevin Garnett. I can never take the high road."
— Charles Barkley, reacting to Garnett's mild response to Taylor, who said Garnett "tanked it" down the stretch with Minnesota last year.

"I’m not a ray of hope kind of guy."
— Raja Bell of the Phoenix Suns, asked if he saw a ray of hope in the Suns' improved performance (but still a loss) vs. Utah.

"I feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony. I know what to do. I just don't know where to start."
— Heat coach Pat Riley, after his team ended its 11 game losing streak.

"Taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back."
— Lakers' coach Phil Jackson, describing Shaq's responsibilities with the Phoenix Suns.

"I don’t think he could guard “the rights to Aaron McKie."
— Mark Kehl, on Shaq going to Phoenix.

"If it doesn’t work, I’m a moron, I guess.”
— Steve Kerr, on trading for Shaq.

"I believe (the Nets) are better off without their ingrate point guard. He's a lousy leader. He's an offensive liability. He has contaminated the team. The Nets should take what they can get. Then they should fumigate their arena."
— The NY Post's Peter Vecsey, on Jason Kidd.

Official League Response
"Ouch! I'd say Vecsey doesn't like Kidd."
— The Commissioner.

"Are they joining the D-League?"
— An unnamed rival general manager, after hearing Isiah Thomas declare that the Knicks are on their way to a championship.

Poor Choice of Words Quote of the Week
"I felt violated. I felt naked. It's one thing to see films with guys wearing those things. ... I'd rather stay warm, man."
— Kobe Bryant, reacting to the Lakers' throwback short shorts, which they wore in a game against the Celtics.

"That I'm 5-11."
— 6 foot 11 inch Samuel Dalembert, on what he thinks when he lines up against Houston's 7-6 Yao Ming.

"We suck in practice too."
— Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers forward on how much his 5-11 team has struggled this season.

"The battle has been joined. Now we have a horse race."
— The Commissioner

"One of my coaches said we were as soft as Dairy Queen ice cream out there tonight."
— Phil Jackson, on the Lakers loss to the Jazz, who were playing with Boozer and Okur

"He looks like Jonathan Papelbon coming out of the bullpen with a one-run lead, only he stays like that for two and a half solid hours. It's incredible. His teammates are alternately enthralled and terrified by him, and honestly, so are the fans. He's a man on a mission. He's possessed. He's a borderline lunatic."
— ESPN's Bill Simmons, on Kevin Garnett.

"We call this a 'Brokeback Mountain' game, because there's so much penetration and kickouts."
— Coach Phil Jackson, commenting on the Lakers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

"If the T-Wolves play at home and no one shows, did it happen?"
— The Philadelphia Inquirer

"My NBA guide claims that McHale retired from the Celtics in 1993, but apparently that's a misprint. How else could you explain his decision to trade Kevin Garnett to Boston for the Al Jefferson pu pu platter deluxe?"
— Bill Simmons, on the blockbuster KG trade that put Boston back on the map.