I've been inspired by many great players in this league, and it's great to re-inspire younger generations and guys coming into this league.
— Paul George
The only thing I wanted out of Indiana was a chance to win my whole career there.
There are more Pacer fans than Paul George fans.
At the end of the day, people enjoy being comfortable. But that's not what life is about.
That's what this game is about, man. Wanting to perform. Wanting to win.
I was always self-motivated.
At 23, I know I'm nowhere close to where I want to be and where I need to be and where I'm going to be.
First and foremost, I want to give thanks to Indiana, as a state, for embracing me and my family for seven years of being there. I learned so much being there. They taught me so much.
I am a sneakerhead, and I grew up a sneakerhead.
I've always been a guy to put pressure on myself.
I don't really classify myself as a scorer. I'm a ballplayer; I'm a playmaker. I like to set people up and make the game easy for everybody.
When I first fell in love with the game, and I'm outside playing in front of the house, I'm not picturing myself in an Indiana jersey or picturing myself in a Thunder jersey. I pictured myself in a Lakers jersey.
I'm not out in the streets. I'm not out in the club, at parties. I'm not really at movie premieres. After games, after practice, I'm home, I'm with my kids, I'm with my girl, and I'm chilling.
As soon as I discovered PlayStation, I was throwing hints here and there to my dad - cutting out the clipping of a video game, cutting out the clippings of the PlayStation, leaving it on his dresser. I remember on Christmas morning, I unwrapped my gift, and sure enough, it was the PS2. I've been a PlayStation guy ever since.
I'm big on my community and want to stay that way.
I'm confident in what I can do.
I felt I was in a good place with Oklahoma.
I'm not going to try and sit here and be Superman.
I might be nervous off the court, being booed. But being on the court, it's my comfort zone. It's basketball. It's what I do. I'm not losing sleep over it.
Everyone in the league would say that they would love to go back home and play for their city. It's just something about representing home.
I just love playoff basketball.
Regardless of how I feel, I always push through all of my workouts before I get ready for the game, because even though I might not like it then, even though I might be a little tired or fatigued, in the long run, it pays off.
I had the Kobe jersey. I would do the Kobe walk. I would walk around the house doing the Kobe stare-down face. Anything you can name, I was idolizing him, trying to be like him.
You're not going to look at Paul and see him slacking, not carrying his weight. All the other stuff, 'Paul doesn't lead' and all that? That's fine. Go grab guys that lead, then. Let me help them lead.
My shoe has been going through evolution, and we having great feedback from the 1 to the 2 and the 2.5's, so I think just consistency. The biggest thing I wanted to accomplish was a shoe that basketball players loved and felt like they have an advantage out of.
I feel like every year I get better, every year I learn something new, and I don't plan on stopping.
I know what I bring to the table. I know my game offensively and defensively. I think I'm one of the best, if not the best, playing two-ways.
In Indiana, I knew the offense in and out. I knew spacing; I knew personnel. I knew the offense, how coach wanted to play me. So when I just wanted to take over and control the game, I could.
I want to be a champion.
As beautiful as Oklahoma is, it doesn't have big lights and none of that. But that's fine... I'm a low-maintenance, low-key, chill guy.
Once I changed my diet, I noticed I had a ton of energy - I was more lively and ready for the workouts; my body was better. I noticed it was definitely the stuff I was putting in my body that made me feel better.
I felt I was immortal. I was invincible. I've made so many plays where guys go down, and I walked up clean from it. I did feel that nothing bad could ever happen to me on the court.
I've never been a guy that's been salty about the shots I'm getting. I just try to play the right way.
I know who I am as a player, I just want to help a team win.
Winning takes precedence over all of it. That's the ultimate happiness. It's not location. It's not stardom. It's not 'where can I make the most money.' It's winning, and winning championships.
I'm living my dream, getting to play in the NBA, getting to play basketball.
I'm going to get paid what I deserve off of what I bring to the table.
Usually I've had two jobs: be the best defender and the best scorer.
Always being an underdog, always being the player or the person nobody really knew, that always kept a chip on my shoulder.
I think me making the Select Team was huge. It was the chance for me to be around those guys and see their work ethic and how they prepare. I think that's what I took the most away from it.
I like to lead by people seeing me playing at certain level.
Honestly, I think I have some of the biggest partners being in a small market, and I think it doesn't really matter: you can accomplish anything if you have the right people around you and be driven.
I was kind of unproven. I didn't play in a high-profile school, and with that comes the notion that, 'He's not ready.' I felt I had questions to answer. Was I going to be ready to play against elite-level athletes?
When I get the ball, I have to be ready to be in scoring mode.
When I told the Pacers I wanted to play for the Lakers, that was true feelings. I wanted to come back home.
It's always been a battle to play the Warriors.
I'm a family man now. I don't need no distractions; I don't need no big cities, no big lights, at this point in my career.
I don't ever feel cautious about making plays. I tell myself that injuries are more likely to occur if I try to play safe.
Nobody wants to play for a team that's not competitive.
I love fashion but I don't necessarily have time to be looking stuff up.
