Darko Miličić

"I thought as a kid that talent was God-given, but it’s not. God gives you talent and you should use that talent with the real meaning of that word. I was stubborn. Maybe being young had something to do with it."

"I said okay, but just not Memphis. Anywhere but there. And, of course, I went to Memphis."

"I don’t miss basketball. I live very well, thank God. I have my interests, interests in agriculture."

"It’s all funny to me. I finally get a chance to play and [Dikembe Mutombo] starts taunting me and daring me to fight. Why would I need that? I didn’t understand half of what he said. I mean, he's been there [in the U.S.] 20 years and still doesn’t know the [English] language well enough. Nobody in particular annoyed me, but Kobe Bryant is the dirtiest player with the things he does on the court... But without a doubt he is a beast. He was amazing."

"I kind of feel like Old Darko died. Like, when I think about myself, or myself when I was playing, I feel like I’m sort of thinking about someone who is dead."

"My experience in the NBA was a catastrophe, because I’m a born winner. I don’t like losing, even in card games."

"I’d do a lot of things differently now. It’s true I ended up on a team trying to win a ring, which rarely happens to a No. 2 pick, but in the end we’re all looking for excuses. I could say I didn’t get a proper chance, but that’s simply an excuse; it’s up to a young player to prove himself, work hard and wait for his chance. My approach was completely different. As a No. 2 pick coming from Europe, I thought I was sent by God, so I got into fights, got drunk before practices, spiting everyone, but I was spiting myself."

"We are not kids, we are adults. I hope you are old enough to understand that life is full of ups and downs."

"It is not necessary to judge and ridicule when, thank God, you have not passed the path that I have. To them, as always, I wish everyone good and every honor on their careers and in further life a lot of success and less condemnation."