I have to always go back to Tim Horton's, it's my favorite spot. I remember growing up as a kid - my mom, every Saturday morning she'd go the hairdresser and she'd give me two dollars to go buy donuts.
— Tristan Thompson
The bigger you become as a player and the more success you have as a player, the spotlight definitely becomes brighter.
Being myself has worked out pretty well for me I think.
I'm going to go for Sixth Man of the Year, put myself in position to do that.
I don't care if X don't like X off the court... As long as you're on the court playing hard and playing for each other, that's all that matters to me.
At the end of the day, guys don't want to foul, especially guys in the starting unit.
If you don't fight you don't give yourself a chance.
Our goal is to play into late June and don't take the process for granted.
I understand that at the end of the day it's about winning and if you win, we all look good - whether you come of the bench or you start.
Being considered for Sixth Man is definitely something that is pleasing.
Obviously I love playing the game of basketball. That's what God blessed me to do.
The big goal is playing in June, so I'd rather be in the best shape I can be in health-wise than be dragging with nagging injuries or not being 100 percent trying to get to the Finals.
So with the skinnier guys, you definitely want to make sure you get a body on them; that's how you take away big guy's length, by getting into their bodies.
It's the playoffs. Teams are gonna go on runs.
You can talk all you want but I'm definitely going to bark back.
The weight room prevents you from getting injuries, keeps your body durable and, working out even during the season, it helps a lot. It keeps your body loose, it keeps strengthening your body, especially the functional stuff.
I think it's important at the end of the day you know obviously playing in the NBA is a great thing, but representing your country at the highest level is something totally different.
Even though I don't live at home and I'm four hours away from home, I talk to my mom every day - ask how the kids are doing, ask how she's doing, too.
The key is to keep playing hard and the rest will take care of itself.
If I don't play, that's fine as long as we're winning I'm going to cheer my teammates on.
Whoever says basketball ain't a contact sport definitely lied.
Whatever happened in the past is in the past.
Goal of mine is to make first team All-Defense. The way you do that is guarding the best players.
At the end of the day, coaches, fans, everyone can live with the team playing hard and giving an effort. Fall short, you can live with those results. But if you're not giving yourself an effort or a fight, you've got no chance in this league.
If you look back at Greek mythology and even back before World War 1, every time a team would go out to battle, they'd eat first.
Some guys have to score more off the bench because that's what their team needs. But some other teams need someone that's going to assist or rebound. It all depends on what he brings to that team and how much it helps their win-loss record and how much they change their team.
Any award the NBA gives you, whether it's on the court or off the court, it's definitely an honor.
Sometimes, it's the little plays that I make that can change the outcome of the game - whether it's blocking a shot or blitzing a guard or getting an offensive rebound.
Well, history always repeats itself, so there's probably a baby Shaq out there in a crib somewhere, sipping on a bottle, and when he gets old enough, he'll bring the post-up center back.
I think you have to be physical no matter who you're playing against, so that's just something that I have to do.
It's the playoffs; you have to pick up the intensity.
Being able to play a whole season, play every game and start every game means a lot.
Me, guarding the best post players in the league, it definitely takes a toll on your body. But that's why I get massages regularly, cold tub, foot baths, rest and the weight room.
In any household, whenever you are a family that's going through something tough - whether it's an illness or whatever the case may be, families tend to close their doors and become more private.
Whoever's in the game has got to be ready to play, take the scout serious and understand what we're doing. If you don't know what to do, ask questions.
If I play two minutes, three minutes, 20 minutes, it don't matter to me. As long as we win.
We don't got to talk to each other off the court. As long as we talk on the court, on the defensive end, that's all that matters to me.
We need everyone, every game. So I'm not going to put myself in the position to hurt my team or my teammates.
I want to guard the best wings and big on every team. I want to make their night tough to gain that respect defensively around the league.
Of course, it's a huge luxury having LeBron on our team. At the same time, we have to be ready to play and we have to do our job.
I'm a team-first guy.
When you look at not just for Sixth Man but also for any award in the NBA even when it comes to the MVP, you should look at their impact to their team.
If I came in and didn't rebound, that would look bad on my part. People would be wondering, what was he doing the whole time?
In the postseason, every possession counts, so it's the little things.
The bruisers and the bump-and-grind guys, use your athleticism on the floor, try to wear them out - run them through a lot of pick-and-rolls, run the floor, do a lot more athletic stuff just to try to wear them down.
I think that's my job to be a little nasty - to bring that energy, protect the paint and really just protect our guys. That's the role of a big man. It's not cute; it's not pretty being a big. You have to come in and do the little things, do the dirty work.
Guys are going to talk. We're going to respond... they aren't going to punk us. Not me. They're not going to punk Tristan Thompson.
Don't put the fast food in your body. Yeah, there are a couple days where you want some Burger King. That's fine, but you can't rely on that stuff. You have to eat healthy, get your carbs, get your rest.
Obviously, everyone wants to play in the NBA but I think if you handle what's in front of you first you'll get your chance when your name is called.
