“So I’ve had no setbacks, everything’s going well, so the job is to play and continue to play.

“I feel like when my body is healthy that’s the confidence I always have (to return to All-Star level) and that’s where I’m at right now. Physically I feel great and ready to go and so it’s just getting game reps and playing.”

Of course, until Simmons shows that on the court he is going to continue to have his critics, especially given the five-year, $177 million contract he signed with the 76ers back in 2020.

But Simmons has “nothing to say” to his sceptics because ultimately even he seems to recognise that words or even training camp highlight videos won’t mean much at this point.

In an exclusive interview with The New York Post, Simmons said he wants to help coach Fernandez by being a “leader” for Brooklyn’s younger squad.

“So f*** what happens next year, and what contract I get, if I get a contract,” he told The Post.

“I want to do my job while I’m here and be professional and help these guys in any way I can. So who knows? I want to play as long as my body will allow me. So if it’s one year, five years, six years, I don’t know what it is. But I just want to keep going until I can’t anymore.”

As for claims that Simmons, who is entering the final year of that $177 million contract, has been stealing money from the Nets in the past few seasons, he had this to say:

“People make comments saying I’m robbing. No. When I got that contract, I was playing at a super high level. Unfortunately, I had injuries. But for somebody to say that, it’s disrespectful. (But) people can say what they want to say. They’ve got to live with it. At the end of the day it all catches up with you.”

Simmons clearly still has confidence in his ability, although if he needed reminding of just how good he can be, it came at one moment on media day where one journalist mentioned the fact he is currently 14th all-time on the NBA’s triple doubles list, level with Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy.

“Damn,” Simmons said quietly to himself as the question was asked, as if even he had forgotten just how good he had been in the early stages of his career at Philadelphia.

“I’m not that bad at basketball”, a smirking Simmons said.

“I think I’ve got some more in me.”

And then in a later interview on media day, Simmons added: “I think people forget me as a player when I’m healthy, I can play basketball, I’m pretty good, right?”

Well, there is only one way to find out.

If Simmons is healthy, he could very well find himself playing a tandem point guard role alongside Dennis Schroder after both veterans got the start in the pre-season game against the Clippers.

Simmons started the game at center for the injured Nic Claxton and was still deployed as a primary ballhandler by Fernandez, pushing the pace in transition and impressing with a pinpoint pass to Dorian Finney-Smith that resulted in an emphatic first quarter dunk.

Simmons also scored his sole points off a screen-and-roll to the rim, but was otherwise relatively ineffective as a shooter, going 1-for-5 along with two rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Schroder told the New York Post to expect “a lot of speed” with Simmons playing alongside him in a two-point guard line-up.

“I mean, he wasn’t healthy the last couple of years, but when he’s healthy, we know what he can do,” Schroder added.

“He’s an All-Star-type player, so he’s going to push the ball. (He’s) unselfish. On the defensive end, he’s playing with grit. And that’s what we need here. So, a lot of speed.

“He can bring it up, I go to the corner. If not, me and him in pick-and-roll, him setting the screen or me setting the screen. I think we can do a lot of things.”

JOSH GIDDEY (Chicago Bulls)

After a strong two seasons in the NBA, Giddey hit a wall in his third season with Oklahoma City and a change of scenery at Chicago could be just what he needs.

After all, it is easy to forget that Giddey just (literally today) turned 22 years old and has so much of his career ahead of him.

Giddey likely figures to be the Bulls’ starting point guard, sharing the backcourt with Chicago’s breakout star from last season, Coby White.

It has been a disrupted pre-season for Giddey, who is coming off an overtime loss to Serbia at the Paris Olympics, which he described as the “most heartbreaking” of his career.

Giddey appeared to have twisted his ankle on the final play of that game and revealed to Bulls reporters at media day that he actually ruptured an ankle ligament known as the ATFL (anterior talo-fibular ligament).

“It’s getting better,” Giddey said.

“It’s getting to the point where I’m almost out there but we’re taking it slow. This is not something you want to rush and because we’ve got time on our side at this point of the offseason, we’re just making sure it is 100 per cent.”

Giddey started rehab on the injury when he got back to Melbourne and continued the recovery process in Chicago, assuring reporters he would be “fine” for the opening day.

That checks out given Giddey made his first appearance for the Bulls in their pre-season opener against the Cavaliers, playing just under 22 minutes.

Giddey flashed his athleticism and playmaking in open space, taking it coast-to-coast at one point and finishing the game with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals.

The outside shooting was an issue though, with Giddey going 0-for-3 from deep, while the perimeter defence also remains a concern.

Of course, the defensive attention is nothing new for Giddey, who was hunted on that end of the floor by opposition teams last season.

“Obviously I’m never going to be an Alex Caruso type defender. But I think it’s the effort you put in on that side of the ball,” Giddey said at media day.

“It’s obviously never been my game as an elite lockdown defender but I think everybody can be a positive on that side of the ball and that’s something I’ve always wanted to get better at.

“I had a lot of conversations with Mark when I was at Oklahoma City and there comes a point in a player’s career where a fork is kind of put in the road about where you’re at defensively and you don’t want to get to a point in your career where you’re known as that guy, the weak link on that end of the floor. I’ve never wanted to be that.”

Giddey said he didn’t think he was a “weak link” on the defensive end during his time with the Thunder, instead explaining that given the strengths of his teammates it was only natural that teams would target him first.

“But that’s the guy I don’t want to be and I think over the summer at the Olympics I think I took a lot more pride on that side of the ball… that’s a side of the ball I’m really willing to buy into and will buy into,” the 22-year-old added.

As for what Giddey’s role could look like on offence, he said he has already spoken with Bulls superstar Zach LaVine and rookie Matas Buzelis about the team’s desire to “play uptempo”.

It is a style that Giddey could thrive in, particularly if he carries over the aggressive mindset he had at Paris of getting to the rim and not just always looking for the pass first.

Giddey said the Bulls squad has put an “emphasis” on generating early looks in the pre-season by playing scrimmages with 14-second shot clocks.

“Once it becomes a habit this team is going to be pretty scary to deal with in the open court,” he added.

The Bulls experimented with a three-guard line-up of Giddey, White and LaVine in the pre-season and when you add in the emergence of Ayo Dosunmu last season, coach Billy Donovan is certainly not short of options in the backcourt.

It is a headache he is familiar with too, having previously used three guards (Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder) during the 2019-20 season at Oklahoma City.

Giddey said it is a “big luxury” for this team to have so many ball-handlers, adding that the players have spoken about the importance of “sacrifice” — and that is a word Donovan brought up too.

“They’re all going to have to sacrifice,” Donovan said.

“We can’t have one guy with the ball in their hands all the time. We’ve got to play in a way that showcases and plays to the strengths of all those guys.”

JOSH GREEN (Charlotte Hornets)

Like Giddey, Green is another player who could benefit from a change in scenery.

Of course, going from a Dallas Mavericks team that just played in an NBA Finals series to the Charlotte Hornets, who are still very much in the early stages of a rebuild, is hardly ideal if winning is the priority at this point in Green’s career.

But at just 23 years old, it is probably better for Green’s development to be playing more minutes and for a team where there is more freedom for him to make mistakes.

At Dallas, Green was very much restricted to a specific off-ball role next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, whereas he looks locked in to the starting shooting guard role provided he can hold off Tre Mann.

Green did have a minor setback in Charlotte’s first pre-season game, suffering an undisclosed injury as he was fouled on a layup attempt in the opening quarter.

Green did not return to the game and played just six minutes, but Hornets coach Charles Lee said he is “good” and the team was just “trying to be cautious”.

“The plan was even coming into the game, he’s played a lot of basketball,” Lee said.

“He played with the national team, he was in the Finals… the plan was for him not to play in the second half.”

Green himself admitted on media day that it has been a “long three months”.

“It hasn’t been much of an offseason,” he said.

“But it’s there in the past. As much as it is tough mentally, I’m very excited for what’s ahead. I’m super excited to be here and be a part of it all. Being in the Finals has only motivated me, I want to get back there.”

Green was traded in July as part of a six-team deal, with the Australian telling reporters it was around three or four o’clock in the morning when he got the call.

“I was in Australia, went to bed, normal night and my phone woke me up. My phone is always on do not disturb too so I knew something was up because I had 30 missed phone calls,” he said.

“It’s kind of that feeling when you’re half asleep and you’re like, ‘Damn’. It all went by so fast.”

While Green’s defence was his biggest calling card at Dallas, he should have more of an opportunity to consistently have his hands on the ball at Charlotte.

“In Dallas, I was in the corners and just playing the role that was given to me,” Green said, according to The Charlotte Observer.

“I think the coaches have done a great job of being open with me dribbling, passing and creating. And I think I’m comfortable with that, too. It’s just getting back into that rhythm.”

New teammate Seth Curry described Green as a “Swiss army knife” who can “do a lot of different things” while coach Lee said the 21-year-old is “more than just a defender”.

“Oh, my gosh,” Lee said when asked about Green.

“I’m Mr. Competitiveness and all that stuff, so to watch Josh make all these extra efforts and multiple efforts… we’ve been in our coach’s meetings sometimes where we are like, ‘Let’s just not try to mess Josh up.’

“He’s able to do both a lot of time and he’s got his own technique of doing it. But he’s done a great job of being open-minded to doing things differently defensively, but also offensively.

“I think now, we are going to put him in some situations where he’s got to handle the ball more, we’re going use him to facilitate because he has such a well-rounded game.

“He’s more than just a defender. That will be his first point of emphasis or his trademark, but he’s got so much more to give and I’m excited for him to showcase it this year.”

Curry echoed similar sentiments, telling reporters this is a “good opportunity” for Green to “expand his wings”.

“Whatever you need from him that night, whether you need him to bring the ball up or guard the best player, spot up and make shots,” Curry added.

“He’s shown he can do a lot of different stuff on the floor.”

DYSON DANIELS (Atlanta Hawks)

Another player who was surprised to wake up in the early hours of the morning to find out he was being traded, although for Daniels that call didn’t come quite as early.

Still, it was around 6am and the former New Orleans Pelicans guard was “asleep” and “kind of groggy” when he picked up the phone.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” he said.

“So I was kind of shocked, especially for the first day.”

Once he had time to process it though, Daniels was able to come to his thoughts and grew “excited” about the prospect of playing in Atlanta.

“I wanted to be part of a team like this,” Daniels said.

“A team that plays fast. Playing in New Orleans, I learned a lot. I was playing behind some All-Star calibre players, some veterans as well. That was great for me.

“But I think this trade has come at the right time for me, going into year three, ready to make that big jump. That’s what I’m ready for. I’m really looking forward to this year.”

Daniels already took a big step forward at the Paris Olympics, flashing his much-improved 3-point shooting while also looking noticeably more confident in his ability to finish at the rim.

When combined with his obvious elite talent on the defensive end, it made Daniels one of Australia’s most important pieces at the Games and gave Hawks fans a brief glimpse of what he could offer in a starting role alongside Trae Young.

Atlanta coach Quin Snyder got an extended look in Daniels’ first pre-season start against the Pacers, where he finished with 14 points, one rebound, three assists and two steals.

“I think I’ll fit really nicely with this team and the style of play we’re going to play,” Daniels said at Hawks media day.

… “I like playing fast. I think that’s what helps me with my game and when you look at our roster we’ve got such athletic wings, we’ve got Trae — obviously a really fast point guard who is willing to throw the ball ahead.

“We’ve got guys who can play above the rim, we’ve got shooters. If we play fast and we keep moving the ball around, we’re going to be hard to stop.”

On an individual front, Daniels has set himself the “big goal” of making the First Team All-Defence this year.

“For me, I want to take the challenge of guarding the best player every night, just being out there, being that backbone for Trae, being able to switch things one through four, defend bigger people, defend smaller guards,” he said.

“Just being everywhere on the floor.”

Meanwhile, the Bendigo product has also spent the off-season working with assistant coach Kyle Korver on his shooting.

He said he has made some minor adjustments to his shot in order to get it off “faster” and “keep the ball high”.

“A lot of it (changing the shot) was in the legs, getting my hips back,” Daniels explained.

“When I was catching a lot my hips were dropping down and my knees were folding in whereas this one is about getting my hips back. That also helps me to have a faster shot and keeping the ball high as well.

“Taking that big dip out of my shot, getting it to my spot, getting it over my right toe and then getting my elbow high. Those are the main focuses we’ve been working on and it already feels comfortable… the shot feels really good, so it’s all about repetition now.”

JOE INGLES (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Joe Ingles wants to win games this year, although he does also have one other goal.

In fact, he describes it as his “biggest goal” for the season: to get Mike Conley the first technical foul of his career.

“So I’m going to make sure every referee knows,” Ingles laughed.

The pair, of course, go back to their Utah days and Conley isn’t the only former Jazz teammate that Ingles is reuniting with in Minnesota, with the Australian veteran also joining forces with Rudy Gobert again.

A move to the Timberwolves was on the cards last season before Ingles eventually settled on joining Orlando, explaining to reporters on media day that a “big part” of coming to that decision was his son Jacob.

“With my son being on the spectrum, we’d always known a school in Orlando and the reviews about it,” Ingles said.

“Not saying the basketball side in Orlando wasn’t great but a big part was my family and Jacob and what he needs and it ended up being the right decision because he loves the school he’s at.”

That won’t be changing anytime soon, even with the move to Minnesota. Instead, Ingles’ family will be staying in Orlando, which the 37-year-old said frees him up to put his entire focus into being an important bench piece for a Minnesota team that is contending for a title.

“If I’m not going to be with my family I may as well make it worthwhile,” Ingles said.

“It’s a big year. It’s an important year for me without my family, the sacrifice my wife and myself were willing to put forward to do this.”

There is also a genuine opportunity for Ingles to be part of a championship-winning roster because as much as Orlando is absolutely on the upwards trajectory, Minnesota looks to be in a title-contending window right now after taking down the defending champion Nuggets in the playoffs last year.

And given the stage of his career that Ingles is at, the chance to not only team up with Conley and Gobert but also be part of one final push for a title was too good to pass up.

“Part of me coming here was that,” Ingles said.

“The winning, competitive nature that is here. Hearing guys talk about where they fell short last year and me already being home and watching the games, you can see how bad they want to win.”

Ingles also has history with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, although that was on the international stage when he was coaching the English national team.

“Me and Finch yelled at each other,” Ingles recalled, laughing.

“We went at each other from the sidelines which was my only other experience with him, which was a wonderful experience.”

PATTY MILLS (Utah Jazz)

Out of all the Australians to speak at NBA media day last week, Patty Mills had the most to say.

His press conference went for just over 18 minutes, with the veteran guard reflecting on why he signed with the Jazz and what his future after the NBA could look like.

Starting with how his move to Utah came to be, Mills said conversations with the Jazz started at the Paris Olympics and ramped up a few days after the Boomers were knocked out.

By that point, he was speaking on the phone with Jazz coach Will Hardy — whose relationship with the Australian guard goes back 15 years.

“He was the first person that opened the doors for me in San Antonio when I got to the Spurs and I think that first workout at 9pm at night I think it was, little did we know how much we would experience together,” Mills said.

“The highs, the lows. The good, the bad, the ugly. Laughter, tears. All of it. We watched each other grow in our respective roles and got to know each other very well and I think to be able to see him succeed as a head coach in this role, to be able to then reunite with him in an environment that is very comfortable, not only because of his position but what I can bring to this environment.”

What Mills can bring is quite clear — namely a veteran presence in the locker room for a young team still trying to forge its identity.

“It’s unique, it’s very special, it’s exciting because there’s so much clarity in my role and I know what to do,” Mills said.

“I know how to execute it and I’m excited about it. I can see the potential here, not only this season, but in years to come.”

Mills is coming off a season where he was cut by the Atlanta Hawks, only to be quickly snapped up by a Miami Heat team short of guard depth and in need of a solid rotation piece.

Mills shot 3-for-4 from deep in his Heat debut but cooled off after that electric start.

In Utah, there won’t be the same level of pressure for Mills to be consistently productive on the floor, with so much of his value tied to the leadership he can also provide off it.

“This place has very quickly welcomed me with open arms and you don’t get that too often,” Mills said.

“The role I have on this team this year is very clear and this part in my career and what I have to bring to an incredibly young talented group is exciting for me to be able to share what I have experienced over the course of 15 years in the NBA with an NBA championship, five Olympic Games and an Olympic medal.

“I think there’s a lot here that I’m naturally good at being able to help some younger guys develop and create a strong foundation base here in Utah for the Jazz to be able to build on over the course of many, many years.

“I think my presence in this locker room and being able to guide this talented, young team is where this starts.”

That is consistent with what coach Hardy told reporters at media day, explaining he needs someone like Mills who can “model behaviour for the young players”.

“We also need people that are going to fully give themselves to the group,” he said, adding Mills is a much-needed “extrovert” in a team full of “introverts”.

“It’s going to be a challenge but I think it something that I am good at, being able to connect and help these guys grow both on and off the court,” Mills said.

“There’s no secret to who the young boys are on this team that are going to be a massive focal point in this organisation… my role is how can I help piece that puzzle together and build a strong foundation in the locker room.”

Given the mentoring role Mills is likely to take on this season with the Jazz, the natural next question was whether he sees a coaching role in his future after he calls time on his career.

While he hasn’t “crossed it off the list” just yet, Mills said “it would take a lot” for him to continue his career in the basketball world “after giving so much as a player”.

“Everyone knows, you sacrifice so much to be in this role and it does take its toll,” he said.

“It’s enjoyable and it’s very much worth it but I think there’s a life outside of basketball that I still felt very connected to and it’s probably the reason why I’ve lasted so long over here in the NBA is because of that connection.

“A big part of that is my culture and being a role model at this level, giving them someone to look up to and I speak for everyone in Australia, especially the youth.”

“There was something about seeing them as a kid and seeing the colour of their skin and feeling a relationship with these sports heroes that I never knew I’d feel,” Mills added, recalling once being “that little boy” who would look up to sporting role models like Cathy Freeman.

“Now I’m in that position. I can only imagine how many young boys and girls that are in my home country of Australia are gaining inspiration by watching my career unfold.

“I haven’t crossed it (coaching) off the list but I think there’s a big life out there for me away from basketball that I can still make the same impact on those people I’ve had in this industry.”

DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)

Exum just can’t catch a break.

The Dallas Mavericks guard sustained a serious right wrist injury during training camp and underwent surgery which ESPN’s Shams Charania reports will sideline him for three months.

It is the latest setback in Exum’s career, having recently dislocated his finger in the second quarter of Australia’s exhibition game against France ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Exum also suffered a head knock in the lead-up to the Games and missed 22 games for Dallas last season with a plantar fascia sprain in his right foot and then right knee bursitis.

It was an achievement for Exum to even get back to the NBA while performing at the level he was with the Mavericks, having recovered from an injury-plagued start to his career.

Exum played all 82 games of his rookie campaign after being drafted by the Utah Jazz before suffering a torn ACL which saw him miss the entire 2015-16 season.

He then underwent shoulder surgery in October of 2017, later going on to also suffer an ankle sprain, bone bruise and partially torn patellar tendon in his right knee before being traded by the Jazz.

Speaking to reporters at media day, Exum said he felt like he was “contributing just as much” at the end of last season even if the box score didn’t necessarily show he was as involved as before his latest injuries.

“I was playing really well and you can look at the stats and all that and say I was playing amazing,” he said.

“Getting back into line-ups and fighting, it was hard but I think for the minutes and opportunities I was given, I was doing the most I could. The stats weren’t the same but if you look at it as a basketball mind, I feel like I was contributing just as much.”

Exum also said he was not limited in practice after suffering the finger injury at the Olympics, adding that his biggest focus in the offseason had been the backdown game and working on short corner pick-and-rolls.

“I think it’s something I can get to a lot so hopefully I can implement that a lot this year,” he said at the time.

JOHNNY FURPHY (Indiana Pacers)

Furphy, who was drafted by the Pacers at the start of the second round, was always more of a developmental project with a combination of athleticism and shooting touch that gave him intriguing upside.

It also meant he wasn’t likely to see any significant minutes early on in his career and particularly on a relatively deep Indiana team, although he may be able to work his way into limited minutes as part of the bench rotation.

For now, the focus is on getting healthy after Furphy was ruled out of the Pacers’ opening preseason game against the Hawks with a sprained left ankle.

“Furphy’s had a little bit of bad luck. He had an ankle thing, and then today he tweaked the other ankle,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said.

“So he’s been a little in and out of it.”

MATISSE THYBULLE (Portland Trail Blazers)

Not much has changed at Portland for Matisse Thybulle, who is again set to offer a much-needed veteran presence off the bench.

What has changed though is his attitude towards international honours, having missed out on selection for the Boomers’ Paris Olympics squad in a decision that left the Australian basketball world surprised — Thybulle included.

“I handled it by getting on a flight and sitting there for 15 hours just thinking about it,” Thybulle said, laughing.

“What do you learn from it? I guess that nothing’s guaranteed. I got into there with an assumption that I would have been on the team and I wasn’t, so just having to deal with the sense of entitlement I might have had going in there.

“That’s a deeper one than just a simple answer, but (there was) plenty of stuff to think about and process.”

It was a very mature response from Thybulle, who was obviously shattered to miss out on selection but now has his attention turned towards his third-season with Portland.

It is a big year too given Thybulle is set for free agency at the end of the season, although he said he hasn’t really thought about that too much.

But when it comes to potentially increasing his value on the open market, a self-aware Thybulle conceded that “critiques” of his game “always come on the offensive end”.

So, Thybulle said “being a more consistent 3-pointer shooter and being able to create more opportunities for myself offensively” are two goals for this season.

Otherwise, Thybulle still remains one of the league’s more disruptive defenders, with coach Chauncey Billups describing him as a “defensive wizard”.

For Thybulle, hearing that sort of comment from his head coach was “extremely validating”.

“I think it’s a beautiful compliment. I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for somebody to notice me in that way,” he said.

“I don’t think I approach it like defensive players in the past or what is considered normal. To be celebrated for being a little bit different but still effective feels really good.

DUOP REATH (Portland Trail Blazers)

He has somewhat become the forgotten man in Portland’s big man rotation, with Deandre Ayton locked in as the starter and Robert Williams III and rookie Donovan Clingan the next in line.

Reath is in the final year of a two-year deal he signed with the Trail Blazers and was a welcome surprise last season, making 20 starts after a season-ending injury to Williams forced him into a more prominent role.

While Reath has shortcomings on the defensive end, his 3-point shooting is a point of difference which could see him get minutes in certain scenarios where the Trail Blazers need a floor-spacing big.

Reath shot 35.9 per cent from downtown last season, averaging 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game.

While the focus is on Ayton, Williams and Clingan, Portland coac Chauncey Billups did make a concerted effort in his media day press conference to bring up Reath when asked about the trio.

“He obviously had a really good year for us last year and had a great summer,” Billups said.

So, while Reath may have fallen down the pecking order he could still be a factor for the Trail Blazers this season.

JACK MCVEIGH (Houston Rockets)

After a standout NBL season ended with Finals MVP honours, McVeigh was rewarded by the Rockets for his strong form and determination throughout his career with a two-way contract.

It means that while McVeigh could start the season with Houston’s G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, he can also be called up at any point for his first taste of NBA action.

McVeigh impressed in Houston’s pre-season opener, putting up eight points in just over eight minutes in the final quarter, and then hit a buzzer beater off a perfectly executed miss free throw to send their second pre-season game against the Thunder to overtime.

If McVeigh continues to make clutch plays like that he could very well find himself cracking Houston’s bench rotation and if that happens, he’ll make NBA history.

You see, the 28-year-old arrived at Houston needing to pick a number to have on the back of his jersey and with zero to 30 almost all taken, his wife Beth came up with the idea of adding up all of the professional jerseys he had previously played in.

That number came to 58, making McVeigh the first player in the NBA to ever wear that number.

“It’s crazy,” he told The Houston Chronicle.

“To be the first-ever at anything is pretty epic. I’ll be a trivia question one day.”

Of course, McVeigh isn’t the only Australian at the Rockets, joined by Boomers teammate Jock Landale, who said it was “awesome” to have the Tasmania JackJumpers star make the move.

“It’s the first time I’ve had an Aussie teammate in the NBA I believe,” Landale said.

“Having Jack around is really cool. He’s a great guy. I had the opportunity to play with him in the Olympics.

“He’s one of those guys who never has a bad day, like so much so that it’s like, ‘C’mon man, come back down to earth like the rest of us’.

“He’s an awesome bloke. Great character. Great player. Has an exorbitant amount of confidence.”

JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)