웨버의 인터뷰- 내 인생 최악의 여름

[지니]

새크라멘토 지역의 유일안 메이저 언론인 '비'지의 스포츠 기자 마크 크라이들러가 웨버와 아주 긴 인터뷰를 했습니다.길다기보단..웨버가 필요이상으로 말을 많이 한거 같은데.. 머..스스로 과묵한 남자네 어쩌네 하는데 인터뷰 하는거 보면 할 때마다 생그짓말이라는 걸 느끼네요..ㅋㅋ 너무 길어서 매일 조금씩 수정하겠습니다..동료들에 대한 재미있는 애기가 많으니 한번들 읽어보시기를~ 근데 뭐 어릴 때 매직이며 토머스가 웨버에게 말을 걸어 어쩌구 저쩌구 했던게 다 사실인지는 모르겠습니다.


Q: How's the knee? Talk about that first.

무릎은 어떤지? 먼저 얘기하자


A: Uh, it's getting better. The last couple of days it's been pretty sore, but that's a good sign because we've been working it, been having so much progress that I've been kind of waiting for it to go back a step so I could take two steps forward.
나아지고 있다. 최근 며칠 동안 꽤 시렸는데 이것은 나아지고 있다는 신호이다. 두 걸음 나아가기 위해 한 걸음 물러서는 것을 기다리고 있다.

Q: You knew that was coming?
알고 있었는가?

A: Yeah, so it kind of did that. We were waiting on it. But it felt good today.그렇다. 우린 기다리고 있었다. 그런데 오늘은 느낌이 좋다.

Q: I have heard a couple of times that, realistically, if you are going to be explosive and play your game, it's more realistic to think of January than December. Is that -- what's your frame of mind on the timetable, how do you assess it?
난 여러번 들었다. 정말로. 만일 폭발적으로 당신의 게임을 제대로 하려면 12월보다는 1월이 현실적이라는 얘기 말이다. 시간을 대략 어떻게 잡고 있나?

A: My frame of mind is that it's a six-month injury, and I'm going to listen to the doctors. Whatever Dr. (Richard) Marder says ... and Dr. (James) Andrews says, I'm going to listen to, because they're the ones who went to school for this. Everyone else's opinion doesn't matter except the guys who studied it.
난 6개월짜리 부상이라고 생각하고 있고,(12월 복귀를 의미) 의사의 말을 들어볼 것이다. 마더 박사가 뭐라 얘기하던..그리고 앤드류스 박사의 말로는 그들이 그것 때문에 학교에 연구하러 나가고 있다고 한다. 머..그 사람들 말고 다른 사람들 의견은 문제가 안되는 것 아닌가?

Q: You're going to go see Andrews (in Alabama) next week, right?
다음주에 앨라배마의 앤드류박사를 만날 예정이다.맞나?

A: Yeah. Uh huh.
그렇다

Q: What happens then?

무엇이 일어날 것인가?
A: He'll probably re-eval‎uate me and do some tests to see where I am, and, you know, let me know what to expect from there.
아마도 나를 재검사하고 어느 만큼 회복되었는지 여러가지 검사를 할 것이다. 당신도 알다시피. 무슨 기대를 할지는 나도 모른다.

Q: Refresh me on this: You sounded either angry or frustrated about finding that there was more in the knee, problem-wise, than you thought. What was the frustration? Tell me that first.
여기에 대해 다시 상기시켜달라. 당신은 생각했던 것보다 무릎부상이 심각한 것에 대해 화나거나 좌절했다고 했다. 어떤 좌절이었는가? 제일 먼저 말해 달라.

A: Well, I think you have to go all the way back to the Laker series (in the Western Conference Finals, 2002), and when we lost Game 7 how tough that was — and then to put all that frustration away, because you knew you were going to get another shot (at a title).
글쎄, 일단 2002년 레이커스와의 컨파 시리즈로 돌아가보자.우리는 졌고 얼마나 터프했는가.그리고 타이틀을 향한 슛을 한번 더 쏠 수 있다는 것을 알았기에 모든 좌절을 던져버렸다So you don't really even grieve over that loss — well, you do grieve, but you kind of hold it in and wait for that next opportunity ... 그래서 그때의 패배에 대해서는 정말로 탄식해서는 안된다.- 뭐, 탄식한다고 해도 일단 다음 기회를 기다려야 한다. you kind of just put blinders on. 눈을 가리고 말이다. And then coming back and injuring it (against Dallas in the conference semifinals, 2003) when you want a chance to try to get a championship ... 챔피언쉽을 위한 다음 기회를 원했던 2003년 세미파이널로 돌아와 부상을 당했다. Not that the chance was totally diminished, but any time you have a player missing, it's going to hurt. That, No. 1, was my frustration.그 기회가 산산히 부서진 건 아니지만 잃어버린 선수가 있다는 것. 이게 아프다. 이것이 나의 가장 큰 좌절이다.

But I can't be frustrated with any doctors or anyone — Dr. Marder, Pete (Kings trainer Pete Youngman), they pretty much made me aware of everything. I just didn't know it was a six-month injury. I thought surgery would be quick.
그러나 의사나 다른 사람에 의해서는 좌절할 수 없다. 마더 박사와 킹스팀 트레이너 피트는 나에게 많은 것을 깨우쳐 주었다. 난 처음에 그것이 6개월자리인지 몰랐다. 수술이 일찍 끝날 줄 알았다.
Q: Okay.
그랬군.

A: I didn't know I'd be on crutches eight weeks, nine weeks, and all the grueling rehab that would come with it. But the doctors, they've been great. If it wasn't for our doctor staff I probably would've gone crazy by now. So my frustration wasn't really with them. It was more with the injury and not knowing how long the surgery (recovery) was going to be.난 8-9주나 목발을 짚어야 되는지 몰랐다. 그리고 지겨운 재활 과정이 따른다. 그러나 의사들은 위대했다.
의료진이 아니었다면 난 미쳐버렸을지도 모르겠다. 나의 좌절은 정말로 그것들 때문이 아니다. 부상과, 수술(회복)이 얼마나 갈지 모른다는 것이 더 절망적이었다

Q: You did not think it was misdiagnosed?
오진이라고 생각하지는 않았나?

A: No. I did not think it was misdiagnosed. 아니다. I think it was probably a miscommunication, but I don't think it was misdiagnosed.
의사소통이 잘못되었을거라고는 생각했어도 오진이라고 생각하진 않았다. Dr. Marder and Dr. (Jeff) Tanji, you know, they're very unique as far as how they communicate and how you honestly feel they care. 닥터 마더와 닥터 탄지는 의사소통 방법에 있어 또 그들의 보살핌에 대해 환자가 어떻게 느끼는 지에 대해 매우 특이했다. You don't feel that they're just working with the property of the Kings.아마 그들이 킹스의 이익을 위해서만 일하고 있다는 느낌은 받지 않을 것이다. Definitely I don't feel I was misdiagnosed. 절대적으로 난 오진이라고 느끼지 않았다. And as I've said, even if I was, I'd have played on it anyway.내가 말했듯이, 만일 내가 그랬어도 어쨋든 난 플레이했을 것이다. Knowing the full kind of injury, knowing it was a six-month type injury, I still would have played, because I would have told myself that I'd have a championship ring to help me do my rehab.
부상에 대해 잘 알았어도, 그것이 6개월이나 가는 부상인 줄 알았어도, 난 여전히 뛰었을지도 모른다, 왜냐하면 난 재활을 돕기 위해서라도 챔피언반지가 있어야 한다고 스스로에게 말해왔기 때문이다.

Q: Meaning you would have played if you (the Kings) had gone on?
만일 킹스가 올라갔다면 뛰었을 거라는 뜻인가?

A: Definitely. 그렇다.That's why I didn't have surgery right away. 그래서 바로 수술을 받지 않은 것이다.I was coming back, yeah. And they let me know how serious it was.다시 돌아오려했다. 그러나 그들은 부상이 얼마나 심각한지 깨우쳐 주었다. But you don't get to play for a championship a lot.챔피언쉽을 위해 많이 플레이해서는 안된다고. And I felt that the team was going to win, and I was going to come back, hopefully Game 3 or 4 of the San Antonio series.그리고 나는 팀이 이길 거라고 느꼈고 샌안토니오와의 시리즈(만일 이겼다면) 경기 3이나 4에서 돌아오려고 했었다.

Q: What did you do — it's Game 7 in Dallas, and suddenly it's over, and you're standing there in a nice suit, on crutches or hobbling. What was the aftermath? What did you do? Where'd you go? How'd you deal with it? Because at that point it had to sink in, "Now I've got nothing but rehab in front of me, and surgery."
뭘 했는가. 댈라스에서의 게임 7에서 갑자기 모든 것이 끝나고 당신은 멋진 양복에 목발을 짚고 서있었다. 후유증은 무었이었나? 무엇을 하고,. 어디로 갔는가? 어떻게 견뎠는가? 왜냐하면 당신은 이렇게 말하지 않았던가."이제 내 앞에는 재활과 수술밖에 남은게 없다'라고.

A: It was like somebody just stuck a pin into me and let all the air out. 나에게는 누군가가 나를 핀으로 고정시켜놓고 공기를 빼는 것고 ㅏ같았다.Along with what I was going to be facing in the summer ... 내가 여름에 맞닥뜨려야 했던 것들과 지내는 것 말이다.It was probably the most difficult year that I've encountered. 내가 경험한 가장 어려웠던 해가 아닐까.It was very tough.정말 힘들었다. I just stayed secluded, tried to watch my nephew as much as possible, have his skinny butt around so I wouldn't think about it as much.
꼼짝없이 갇혀서 그 일에 대해 생각하지 않으려면 조카녀석의 삐쩍 마른 엉덩이를 쳐다보려고 노력하는 것 밖에 없었다. I remember coming back here to Sacramento (after the Dallas loss) and hanging out for a few days and just watching TV, trying to take it all in. I didn't watch any of the championship games...
난 댈러스와의 게임에 지고 새크라멘토로 돌아와 며칠동안 돌아다니고, TV를 보고, 모든 것을 잊으려 애썼던 기억이 난다. 결승전은 보지 않았다.

Q: You did not watch any of the NBA Finals?
그럼 결승전을 하나도 보지 않았단 말인가?

A: Maybe at a restaurant or a bar or something I looked up at the screen or something, but I didn't follow it. 글쎄 식당이나 술집 아니면 스크린같은 곳이 있던 곳에서 스치듯 볼 수는 있었겠지.하지만 보지는 않았다.I basically became numb — and in a lot of ways, I still am, basically. It's just almost like it's so much, it's just not even to think about, kind of just go forward, don't ask why, don't do any of those things because it's not going to help. 사실 난 기본적으로 마비되어 버렸고,, 많은 면에서 여전히 그렇고, 생각하기도 싫고, 앞으로 나아가야 하는 그런 것이었다. 왜인지는 묻지 말고 도움이 안되기 때문에 이러한 일들도 하지 말자. Just work as hard as you can and hopefully get back and not think about anything else.될 수 있는 한 열심히 연습하고 돌아오길 바라면서 아무 생각도 하지 말자.

Q: The season ends. You have to have surgery. It's longer (rehab) than you expected. And you go to federal court. Worst summer ever?
시즌은 끝났고, 수술을 받아야 한다. 생각했던 것 보다 재활도 길었다. 그리고 연방법정에도 나갔다. 최악의 여름 아니었던가?

A: Definitely. 물론이다.I wasn't able to touch a basketball. 난 농구공을 만져보지도 못했다.A lot of people who say they love you are nowhere to be found;나를 사랑한다는 많은 사람들은 아무데도 없었다. you're deserted at those times. 이때는 버려졌었다. So along with another year of not winning the championship 우승하지 못한 또다른 한해를 보내며— I don't think people know how serious that is to me. 난 사람들이 나에게 이것이 얼마나 중요한지 안다고 생각하지 않는다.For myself, for the organization, for the city, everything. I mean, you win, that's history that can never be erased.내 자신에게도, 구단에게도, 새크라멘토에게도, 모든 것이다.이긴다는 것, 이것은 결코 지워지지 않는 역사인 것이다.

It was really tough to be perceived (through the Ed Martin case) as someone with serious character flaws — not the flaws that everyone has, but some serious character flaws. 뭔가 심각한 결함이 있는 것으로 인식된다는 건 정말 힘들었다- 모든 사람이 가진 결함이 아닌 몇몇 사람들만의 심각한 인격적 결함말이다. And not being able to state your position is very frustrating. 그리고 자기 위치를 발언할 수 없다는 것도 매우 좌절을 준다. Because perception is reality. 왜냐하면 인식은 진실이기 때문이다. Perception is reality. 정말이다.That's one thing I've learned. 내가 배운 것중 하나다. If people perceive you (a certain way), that's what you are. 사람들이 당신을 어떤식으로 인식하면 그게 바로 당신이다. And that's a tough pill to swallow sometimes.
이것이 바로 가끔 삼켜야 하는 쓴약이다.

Q: Why could you not explain your position?
왜 당신의 상황을 설명할 수 없었는지?

A: Because lawyers won't let you. 변호사가 그렇게 못하게 했으니깐.That's No. 1. 이것이 첫번째다.And then by the time I will, it will be much smaller in people's minds than it was to me. 그리고 내가 그렇게 하려고 할 땐 이미 사람들의 마음 속에서 나의 본래의 모습보다 훨씬 작아져 있었다.So that's a Catch-22:(이게 뭐여?) I can't say nothin', and when I can, it's going to be a blurp or a blip in the paper or on the TV screen. And that's just life.난 내가 말할 수 있을 때는 아무것도 말할 수 없었다. 신문이나 TV 속에서 삑삑댈 뿐이었지.

Q: How did you deal with it? 어떻게 대처하였는가?Because it approached for so long — 아주 오래 전부터 다가왔던 일인데.it was this thing on the horizon that kept coming and coming, and then suddenly you're in this period where the season is over and sort of all that is immediately in front of you is surgery and this (federal case). 수평선에서 조금씩 다가오는 것 같이, 그리고 나서는 갑자기 시즌이 끝나고 수술과 재판을 맞닥뜨리게 되었쟎은가.How did you deal with getting ready for a huge, huge, serious thing in your life? 당신의 인생에서 이렇게 거대하고 심각한 것을 어떻게 준비했었나?

A: Well, the Bible. Um ... man. TV. Watched a lot of DVD's.글쎄.뭐..성경책..맨..테레비와 엄청나게 많은 DVD를 보았다. Read a lot. I read some good books, actually. 사실 책도 많이 보았고. And that was it.그런 거지 뭐. I'm terrible at communicating when I go through different problems. 다른 문제에 부딪칠 때 난 끔찍히 대화에 소질이 없다.That's why I love my mother, because, you know, you have friends who get mad at you if you don't call 'em back or something like that when you're going through issues, as if you owe them to call them back. 그래서 어머니를 사랑한다. 왜냐하면 당신도 알다시피 힘들 때 전화를 다시 해주거나 하지 않으면 삐지는 친구들이 있지 않은가.마치 당신을 소유하고 있는 거 마냥. My family really understood and they gave me space, left messages, encouraged me, baked food and came over some days and forced their way in and made me smile. And other days, they just let me be.나의 가족들은 정말로 이 상황을 이해하고 나만의 공간을 주고, 메시지를 남겨 주고 격려해 주고, 요리를 해주고 며칠 동안 와서 나를 웃게 만들었다. 그들은 그동안 날 그냥 내버려 두었다.

It was tough. I was doing rehab at the same time, still. 정말 힘들었다. 동시에 나는 재활을 하고 있었기 때문이다.So I actually was doing rehab in New York with Manny and flew back to go to court and then flew back to rehab. 그래서 사실 뉴욕에서 매니와 재활을 하면서도 법정으로 날아오고 다시 재활을 하러 돌아가곤 했다.So in the midst of it, I'm still not able to walk, I'm still not able to run, I ...
그 와중에서 난 아직도 걸을 수 없고 뛸 수도 없다.

Q: You're captive.사로잡힌 거나 마찬가지군.

A: Yeah. Couldn't go on vacation, couldn't even mess up a golf hole or a golf course. 맞다. 휴가를 갈 수도 없고, 골프를 칠 수도 없었다.So it was tough. 그래서 힘들다.If anything is true, you find out who you are. 어떤 것이 진실하다면 당신은 스스로에 대해 발견하게 된다.You find out about your character while you're going through something.당신이 무언가를 극복하는 동안 스스로의 성격을 깨닫게 될 것이다. In the good times, it's easy to smile, it's easy to be happy-go-lucky. 좋은 시절에 웃고 행복해 하는 것은 쉽다.In the tough times, when you're going through something, do you change your character? 힘들 때, 무언가를 헤쳐나가야 할때 당신의 성격을 바꾸는가? Are you not as nice, are you mean to people? 성격이 좋지 않다면 비열한 것인가? Those type of things. 이런 것들이다. You have to live and still function under rough circumstances, and if you can still be yourself, I think that's when you build character.
험한 상황에서도 살아남아야 하고 그 상황에서도 자신의 모습 그대로라면 바로 자신의 성격이 형성된 때라고 생각한다.

Q: Without discussing the plea, how hard was it to go into court and acknowledge what you acknowledged in court? 죄목에 대해 얘기하지 말고, 법정에 가는 것은 얼마나 힘들었는지?

A: It was very hard and I was very disappointed.매우 어렵고 절망적이었다. Um ... (long silence) ... with ... everything.음..(오랜 침묵)모든 것에 대해서 말이다. But in saying that, I do feel that, after that, I felt that the judge was fair.하지만 적어도 지금은, 모든 것이 끝난 후에 난 판결이 공평하다고 느꼈다. But I think people need to realize that basically it's still not over. 하지만 사람들이 이것이 아직 끝나지 않았다고 깨달을 필요성이 있다고 본다.So it's something that is still in my head, and something I still have to live with every day.왜냐하면 아직도 내 머리 속에는 남아있고, 내가 매일매일 겪어야 하는 어떤 것이기 때문이다.

Q: Did you plead out so your dad wouldn't have to go through it?
당신의 부친은 그럴 필요가 없었다고 증언했는가?

A: Um ... I really probably can't talk about that.
거기에 대해선 절대 뭐라 말할 수 없다.

Q: Okay. How do you — is Michigan still home?
알았다..당신에게, 미시간은 여전히 고향인가?

A: Oh, yeah. Definitely. Michigan is still home. But I think you have to realize that it's different between the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan. You know, the demographics and the people. It's a very unique situation. I have two homes, Detroit and Sacramento, and I mean that honestly. We (Webber and his family) purchased a home here.
거야 당근이지. 미시간은 여전히 고향이다. 하지만 당신은 디트로이트 시티와 미시간 주 사이에는 차이가 있다는 걸 알아야 한다. 알다시피, 인구학적 측면과 사람들 말이다. 매우 독특하다. 난 집이 2개다. 디트로이트와 새크라멘토, 그리고 솔직하게 우린(나와 내 가족) 여기에 집을 샀다.
In the city of Detroit, I really get a lot of support. It's where I grew up. People in Detroit still call me Mayce, by my first name, because they know me as that. And I have big plans for that community as well as here, as far as projects and developments ...
디트로이트 시에서 난 정말로 많은 도움을 받았다.내가 자라난 곳이다. 디트로이트 사람들은 아직도 날 메이씨라 부른다. 나의 첫번째 이름 말이다. 그들은 나를 그렇게 알고 있기 때문이다. 그리고 난 여러 계획들과 개발로 디트로이트시를 도울 큰 그림을 갖고 있다.

Q: This year?올해에?

A: Yeah, this year. Well, I go "years" by basketball seasons, so this season. 그렇다. 올해에. 나에게 '해'란 말은 농구 시즌이니 이번 시즌이 되겠지.And this season and next season, the city of Sacramento especially, I have a very big project — I probably really should speak about it until it's all solidified. But a couple of projects in a couple of venues ... 그리고 이번 시즌과 다음 시즌에 새크라멘토시에 대해서도 특별히 매우 큰 프로젝트를 생각하고 있다. 모든 것이 구체화 한 후에 이야기 하려 한다. 몇몇 장소에서 계획이 있다..that I'd like to put in the community, and help the community, employ some people, and have some fun in doing it. 지역사회를 돕고, 사람들을 고용하고, 하면서 재미를 느끼는 그런 것 말이다. And I think it's going to be — one project that I will say, it's a family project, and I think that parents will be happy, and I think the kids will be even happier about some of the projects we're doing there.내가 말하려는 프로젝트 중 하나는 가족에 대한 프로젝트가 될 것이다. 우리가 이 곳에서 하려는 프로젝트를 통해 부모들과 아이들이 행복해 할 것이다.

Q: So you're going to build the downtown arena?
그래서 도시 안에 경기장을 지을 것인가?

A: (Laughter.) Yeah, yeah, that's my project. But I think that it'll be very big, though, put it that way. It's really gonna be huge.
(웃으며) 아,아, 물론 나의 계획이다. 하지만 그건 너무 거대하지 않을까? 잊어버리자. 정말로 거창할 것 같다.

Q: How do you feel about — the University of Michigan is trying to get you to cut a check (related to its NCAA sanctions arising from the Martin scandal). How do you respond to that?
미시간 대학이 NCAA 마틴 스캔들과 관련하여 당신에게서 수표를 받으려고 노력하고 있는 것에 대해서는 어떻게 생각하는지? 어떻게 반응했는지?

A: You know, I don't respond to that. 알다시피, 무반응이었다.You're talking ... The truth will come out.진실이야 밝혀지겠지. I won't respond to that.대응하지 않을 것이다. But a friend of mine said something interesting. 내 친구들이 재미있는 이야기를 하더라.It's not my opinion, this is his. 내 의견이 아닌 그 친구의 의견임을 밝혀 둔다. But he said that I should write them a check and then have them give me a check for all the jerseys that they sold with my name on it. 그 친구가 말하길 내가 수표에 서명하면 미시간에서 내 이름 새겨진 저지를 팔은 것에 대해 수표를 나한테 줘야 된다고 하더라.Because that was the highest enrollment rate we've ever had (at Michigan), was the two years we (the so-called Fab Five) were there ...왜냐하면 우리 FAB 5가 있던 2년 동안 미시간 대학의 입학 경쟁률은 사상 최고 였기 때문이다. So he said maybe we should trade that. 그래서 아마 우리가 협상해야 된다고 말했다.I don't think that's legal, but it really was funny to hear that on my machine.
이것이 정당하다고 생각하지는 않지만 듣기에 정말 재미있기는 했다.

Q: Were you able to speak at all with Ed Martin's family after he passed away?
에드 마틴이 세상을 떠난 후 그의 가족들과 얘기해 볼 수 있었나?

A: No.
전혀

Q: When was the last time you spoke with anybody in the Martin family?
그의 가족들 중 아무하고도 얘기해본 가장 마지막 순간은 언제였는지?

A: Probably about 10 years ago.
아마도 10년 전쯤.

Q: Do you still think of yourself as a part of the University of Michigan?
여전히 스스로가 미시간 대학의 일부라고 생각하는지?

A: I do. I do, and I always will. 물론이다. 항상 그럴 것이다.You know, hopefully time will heal certain wounds. 알다시피, 시간이 약이 되길 바란다.I know what I've been made to look like.내가 어떻게 보일지 알고 있지만 But I love the University of Michigan. 난 미시간 대학을 사랑한다. Still can't erase the memories I have there. 여전히 그곳에서의 기억을 지워버릴 수 없다.Still can't erase the games that we won and the times that we had.우리가 이겼던 경기들과 나누었던 시간들을 지울 수 없다. And I loved it. 그것들을 사랑한다. I think everybody always loves their college. 내 생각에 모두들 자신의모교를 항상 사랑할 것 같다. I loved this team.난 미시간 팀을 사랑했다.

You know, what's funny is that I think Michigan has one of the largest if not the largest alumni group, and so when I go around I see a lot of people from Michigan.
알다시피 정말 재미있는 것은 미시간 대학은 졸업생이 가장 많은 학교들 중 하나기 때문에 돌아다니다 보면 정말 많은 미시간 출신을 만난다는 ㅏ사실이다. And I don't know if it's sincere or not, but I definitely get love and respect. 진실인지 아닌지는 몰라도 난 사랑과 존경을 받는다. I can't name one instance when someone from the University of Michigan came and said I embarrassed 'em. 미시간 졸업생이 나에게 다가와 당황한 순간이 있었다.I've had guys who went there from '90 to '95 saying it was the best time of their lives, and they went to Michigan because of The Five. And kids all across the country saying they looked up to us.90년에서 95년 사이에 학교를 다닌 이들 중 그때가 인생에서 최고였다고 말하고, 우리 5명 때문에 미시간에 왔다고 말하는 몇몇 이들도 있었다. 그리고 전국의 어린이들은 우리를 우러러보았다.

What I didn't want this whole thing to make me was a martyr, a martyr to college. 이런 것들 때문에 내가 대학에 대해 찬양하는 사람이 되었다고 말하고 싶은 것이 아니다. You know, I tell kids to go to school, to go to college to find out who they are, and be able to stay up all night, and go to parties, and put your money together with four or five other guys to get some pizza, just live their life. 알다시피 나는 어린이들에게 진학을 해서 대학에 가라고 말한다. 스스로를 발견하고, 밤도 새보고, 파티에 가고, 네명 다섯명이 돈을 모아 피자도 시켜먹고, 그들 스스로의 삶을 살기 위해 가라고 말한다. And I think what this has done is make a lot of kids think that I was wronged, and they probably don't know the whole situation so they shouldn't take that side anyway. 많은 어린이들이 내가 잘못되었다고 생각할 수 있겠지만 그들은 아마 모든 상황을 알지 못하기 때문에 받아들이기 힘든 것이다.But I don't want to become the reason that kids are scared to go to school, because they feel that I've been done wrong. 그러나 난 아이들이 내가 한 잘못 때문에 진학하는 걸 두려워하는 상황이 되는 것을 바라지 않는다. And I know a lot of athletes who have come to me and expressed that.많은 운동선수들이 나에게 와 그런 말을 한다는 것을 안다. I want kids to experience college, to experience school, and to be amateur athletes before they get to the pressure of this (the NBA) ... 난 어린이들이 대학에 가서 학교생활와 아마추어 선수 생활을 경험하길 바란다.프로생활의 압박을 받기 전에 말이다. I just want to put this behind me and improve my life.
난 단지 이것들을 뒤로 하고 내 인생을 발전시키킬 원할 뿐이다.

Q: Did you ever feel like an amateur at such a high-powered program as Michigan?
미시간과 같은 강력한 프로그램에서도 아마추어라고 느낀 적이 있었나?

A: Oh, definitely. Before every game, we'd say, hey, our mamas are watching us on TV, can you believe it? 물론이다. 항상 경기전에 말하곤 했다. 이봐 엄마들이 우리를 TV로 보고 있다구. 믿을 수 있어? So, yeah, definitely. 그랬듯이 당연하다.There's a big difference between college and pros.이것이 대학과 프로의 차이이다. Getting in hotel rooms on the road and watching the (NBA) dunk contests.원정에서는 호텔에서 자고 NBA덩크 콘테스트를 보는 것. I remember when Shawn Kemp lost, how bad we were hurt, 'cause he missed the dunk.
숀켐프가 덩크를 놓쳤기 때문에 져서 우리가 상심했을 때가 기억난다.
I don't think people realize 사람들이 깨달았다고 생각하지는 않는다.— I remember the first time I met Michael Jordan, I think it was '84, and they were at Wayne State University (in Detroit), and I remember Jordan bumped up against me and me thinking it was just the coolest thing in the world ... 난 마이클 조던을 맨 처음 만났을 때를 기억한다. 84년 그들이 디트로이트의 웨인 대학에 왔을 때였다. 그는 내 앞을 날아올랐고 내 생각엔 세계에서 가장 쿨하게 보였다.I remember Dominique coming into the University of Detroit, and in the layup line he did a windmill (dunk), and he did it without stretching or anything. 다미닉 윌킨스가 디트로이트 대학에 왔을 때도 기억난다. 그는 아무런 몸풀기도 하지 않고 레이업 라인에서 윈드밀을 했다.It was the first thing he did.그가 맨 처음 한 것이었다. And me and my boy Kevin were just going crazy. 나와 친구 케빈은 미쳐버렸다.I remember paying to watch Derrick Coleman play. 데릭 콜먼의 플레이를 보러 갔던 것도 기억난다.I wore No. 44 in high school because of Derrick Coleman.난 네릭 콜먼 때문에 고등학교 때 44번을 달고 있었다. He was the man to me.그는 나에게 더 맨이었다. And Antoine Joubert, he was to me the best player ever to come out of Detroit, to want to be high school player and wanting to be him. 또 디트로이트 출신 중 최고의 플레이어였던 안트완 주베르가 되고 싶었다.Or playing against Damon Bailey and Shawn Bradley when I was 14 in AAU and Shawn Bradley being like 7-foot-1 ... AAU에서 14세 때 데이몬 베일리와 숀 브래들리에 맞서 경기하기도 했다. 이때 브래들리는 7-1쯤 되었다.or playing against Penny Hardaway, we beat his AAU team when I was 17 but they were 19, and we'd been trying to win AAU championships since I was 13. 또 페니 하더웨이와 경기하기도 했는데 난 17살 때 19살이던 그의 AAU에 이겼다.난 13살 때부터 AAU에서 우승하고자 노력했다. We beat them.
우린 그들은 이겼다.
I was just all basketball. 난 농구가 전부다.My mom was a basketball mom. 내 어머니는 농구어머니이다. You load up the van and pick up the kids, and she'd make hot dogs at home, and we'd be mad because we'd want to buy them there (at the game), like there was some big difference. 그녀는 밴을 몰아 우리를 태우고, 집에서 핫도그를 만들어 준다. 그러나 우린 그것을 경기장에서 사먹고 싶었기 때문에 미쳐버린다. 이건 아주 큰 차이이다. But just the whole thing. I remember meeting Isiah Thomas when we went to watch the Pistons play the Celtics, went with my church group ... 난 교회 친구들과 함께 셀틱스 대 피스톤즈의 경기에서 아이자이어 토마스를 만난 기억이 난다.I think at that time it was 63,000, the largest game ever. 관중은 6만 3천명,역대 최대가 아니었을까 한다. We sat at the top. We couldn't even see down on the floor so we were watching the JumboTron.우리는 맨꼭대기에 앉았고 점보트론을 보고 있었기 때문에 바닥을 내려다 볼 수도 없었다.

And before the game he had a clinic.경기 전에 그는 클리닉을 열었다. And he called me out there.그는 나를 그리로 불렀다. And he just said, stand up there. 그리고 말하기를 거기에 서있어라 했다. And I'm in this skinny shirt, and he called me out there, and my brother got to ask a question, and it was just the greatest thing ever.
난 셔츠만 달랑 입고 있었고 그는 나를 불렀고, 내 동생은 그에게 질문했다. 세상에서 가장 멋진 일이었다.
I mean, yeah, until you make it into the league, you're not in it.
무슨 의미냐면, 리그에 들어오기 전까지는 그 안에 들어갈 수 없었기 때문이다.

Q: So that was Them, in other words. In other words, you were here, and they were over there (in the pros).
바꾸어 말하자면, 당신은 일반인이고 그들은 프로선수였기 때문이 아닐까.

A: Oh, yeah. Man, I tell you, I got recruited to Michigan State out of eighth grade.말하고 싶은 것이 바로 그거다. 난 사실 8학년 때 미시간 주립대에 스카웃 되었었다. I always thought I was going to Michigan State, going to Michigan State. 난 언제나 미시간 주립대를 가려고 생각하고 있었다.And Jud Heathcote allowed me come up there ... 주드 헤쓰코트(헤드코치?)도 허락했다.I'll never forget it. Magic Johnson was there. And in the summer I got to go up there and play.난 결코 잊을 수 없을 것이다. 매직 존슨이 있었단 말이다. 여름이면 난 미쉬간주립대에 가서 연습하곤 했다.

And I remember Magic Johnson, I'll never forget it — I'm tellin' you stuff that's going to be in my book, man, I shouldn't be doing that. 매직 존슨을 만났던 것도 기억한다, 아마 결코 잊지 못할 것이다. 아마 내 자서전에도 들어가겠지.But I'm there, and I'm tired and I'm running, and Magic is winning every game — 난 연습에 지쳐 있었고 매직은 모든 게임에 이기고 있었다. he called a foul on game point, I'll never forget that, either —머 득점 상황에 파울에 걸리기도 했고 난 결코 잊지 못할 것이다. but he's winning every game, and I go and sit on the side in between games, and he came over and said, "Young fella, what're you tired for? You can't get tired until you make $25 million."하지만 그는 모든 게임을 이기고 있었다. 난 게임 중간에 구석에 앉아 있었는데 그가 다가와 말했다 .'젊은 친구, 뭐가 그리 지겹지? 2천 5백만불을 벌기 전에는 절대 지겨워 해서는 안되지;

And it wasn't the fact that he was talking about the money. 그는 사실 돈에 대해 말하려고 한 것이 아니었다. It was the fact that, you're nothing.사실 난 아무것도 아니라는 의미였다. It's not about the money.돈에 대한 것이 아니었다. You can't get tired until you're in the NBA, until you're me. 내가 자신처럼 될 때까지, nba선수가 되기 전까지 지겨워 해서는 안된다는 의미였다. And that has always stuck with me. And I'm still not him because I want a championship.그의 충고는 아직까지 내게 달라붙어 있고 난 우승하지 못했기 때문에 여전히 그처럼 되지 못했다. And then after that I'm going to want another one, 'cause that's only one. 그리고 나서야 난 다른 것을 원할 수 있을 것이다. 왜냐하면 우승은 정말 유일한 것이기 때문에.And then after that I'm going to want three, you know, 'cause the Lakers got three. 그리고 나서 난 3연패를 원할 것이다. 알다시피, la는 3연패를 했기 떄문에..And after that I'm going to want four ...그 후엔 4연패를 원할 것이다. That's always my mentality, you know, that you can't quit.알다시피 이것이 멈출 수 없는 나의 정신자세이다.

The reason I started basketball is my father took me to church ... 내가 농구를 시작한 계기는 아버지가 날 교회에 데려간 이후이다.it was at the church, and it was the AAU team. 교회에는 AAU팀이 있었다.And at this point I went to a Christian school, it was called Temple Christian.그리고 당시 나는 '템플 크리스챤'이라는 기독교 학교에 다니고 있었다. So I was the hot man on the block, I had like 63 points in a game, all layups.난 레이업으로만 63점을 넣는 등 해서 동네에서 꽤 유명한 놈이었다. So I go there and Jalen Rose is there, Kevin my best friend is there. 내가 있었고 제일런 로즈가 있었고 나의 가장 친한 친구인 케빈이 있었다. And I stunk the place up.난 냄새를 풍기고 있었다. I came with Hawaiian shorts and shirt — this is when Hawaiian shorts and shirt outfit was in — 난 하와이안 셔츠와 반바지를 입었었고 당시는 하와이안 풍이 유행이었다.so my mother made me this nice outfit, and I think I'm looking good.어머니는 날 멋지게 꾸며주었고 난 스스로 멋져 보인다고 생각했다. And they're blocking my shot, they're fouling me, and I remember they wouldn't call the foul.그들은 내 슛을 블록하고, 파울을 해대고, 파울을 불지 않았던 것으로 기억한다. And I missed a layup so he made the whole team run. 난 레이업을 놓쳤도 상대팀은 달아났다..And they were like, "Oh, this kid's soft, man." I was like, what?
그들은' 오, 저 꼬마는 소프트하군 . 맨'뭐 이랬다...

I told my dad, I'm not going back. 난 아버지에게 돌아가지 않겠다고 말했다.The coach is crazy, he's yelling at me, he's cussing me out.코치는 정말 열정적이었다, 나에게 고함치고, 악담을 퍼부었다. He told me, you know, I don't care if you play basketball or not, but you made a commitment to the team and so now you can't quit.그는 나에게 이렇게 말했다'알다시피 니가 농구를 하던 말던 난 상관하지 않는다. 그러나 넌 팀에게 선언을 했으니 이제는 그만둘 수 없다' After this year, you wanna quit, that's OK. That's one full year. But you're going to give me that.'올해가 지난 후 그만두고 싶다면 괜찮다. 1년 꼬박. 그러나 넌 아마 그러지 않을 거야'라고 말했다.

And these people are people that are in my life forever, because of the love they had, the tough love they had for me.그들은 내 인생에서 영원할 것이다. 그들이 나에게 주었던 터프한 사랑때문에.

You know, my father, the life he had, nothing came easy. 내 아버지가 순탄치 못한 인생을 살았다는 것은 이미 알고 있을 것이다.Our lifestyle wasn't great.우리의 생활을 썩 훌륭하지 못했다. We grew up poor.우린 가난하게 자라났다. But he was The Man to me.그러나 그는 나에게 ' 더 맨'이었다. He was not a man, he was The Man. '어 맨'이 아닌 '더 맨' 말이다.You know, in the neighborhood, he would take all the kids around the kids who didn't have fathers, we would play football every Saturday. 알다시피 나의 아버지는 이웃의 모든 편모가정의 아이들을 데리고 토요일마다 풋볼을 하러 데리고 나가곤 했다.The church group, he was a leader.교회에서 그는 리더였다. He was a deacon at the church.교회의 집사였다. We used to hate driving with him because if there was anybody stopped on the side of the road, he'd go help them. 우리는 그와 같이 차를 타고 다니는 것이 싫었다. 왜냐하면 길거리에 서 있는 사람들을 볼 때마다 차를 세우고 도와주려 했기 때문이다. That's a good trait to have, but as a kid I hated it, you know what I'm saying? 아 물론 이것은 좋은 행동이지만, 어린이의 입장에서는 싫다. 무슨 말인지 알거라 믿는다.

But it was Mr. Webber. Mister Webber.하지만 이것이 바로 웨버씨였다. When he came around, everybody knew when he came around, you'd better buck up ...그가 가까이 오면, 모두가 그가 가까이 온 것을 안다. Those were some of the things that were instilled in me, so as an amateur I felt that you're not there until you're there. I always felt that way.이런 것들이 내 안에 서서히 스며들었다. 아마추어로써

Q: The other day Kobe Bryant was explaining some of his anger toward Shaq, and he mentioned that, this summer, a number of people called him. Shaq didn't. And he mentioned you and Mike Bibby both, and I wonder what moved you to call him. Did you speak to him, leave him a message, and what did you say? And how much of that was a product of you maybe being able to relate on some level to a case being played out in public before it's played out in court?

A: Well, first of all, whenever I hear something on TV, whether it's Entertainment Tonight or sports, I think we all have to be very (careful) before we judge. We can call it like we see it, but we're all going to be in a position where we're going to be judged, and what if we are judged by the same standard that we judge people by? So I think we need to be careful with that. I played with his agent in college. I knew his agent. And I also knew that when you go through things, you really don't want to hear from everybody, but you like to hear what's going on, and encouragement. I called his agent and left my number, and left a long, detailed message for him. And I just told him I'd pray for him, and offered some encouragement.

Q: I feel bad if I miss work, just because I feel like I'm supposed to be at work. When you can't be at work, the stakes feel so high. How do you deal with it?

A: I definitely go in a hole. I'm a mole right now. I don't enjoy things as much, and life is not as fun. It's real hard. It's very hard. Wanting to be out there, making this (seven-year, $123 million) contract and not being able to work for it ... I can't even explain the frustration of it. I have to guard myself every day against having an attitude of stealing other people's joy by my mood, by me not talking or just wanting to work out four or five times a day. It's very hard, but I do think those things make you a better person ... I really look at this as a lesson from the Lord more than anything. I think that's what gets me through it. I totally depend on him. It's not anything different from what I've always said, but I think He does things to help you see what's really important — you know, family and friends.

My nephew, right now, brings me joy. He doesn't care. He knows I play ball, but he doesn't care. He could care less. He wants to go to a pumpkin patch off of (Interstate) 80. He wants to do all his stuff.

Q: Does he live here?

A: No, he was just here. I had him for a week. I won't get him again until Christmas. But that's my joy, my family. Really, going through things like this brings your attention to what makes you happy.

Q: I was talking to Joe Maloof one day, and he was talking about money. And what he said that I thought was interesting was that he didn't feel so much rich as he did empowered — that the money allowed him to do things, or to even contemplate doing things, that other people can't contemplate. So I'm wondering what is the best thing about having money.

A: For me it was helping the people I grew up with.

I remember the first check I ever got, two things. I got my first check, and I remember telling my father, I said, Magic Johnson is coming over just to talk to the family about how to handle the NBA and all this. So my father wakes up at 6 in the morning and cuts the grass, and all this stuff. And so I go to this dealership and buy him a Cadillac — because he worked for Cadillac his whole career but could never afford one. And my father is a car mechanic guy. He'll get up under the hood and fix it in his church suit. So I go over there, I get Kevin, we get the car, I'll never forget it. We drive it on the lawn. And the first thing, he's like, Hey, get this car off my lawn, I don't care whose car it is. And I'm like, Daddy, that's your car, man. And he just got in the car and drove it around the block. And that was just the best feeling.

And the coaches, every coach that I've had, to have them come out to the Lakers game ... every coach, high school, middle school, AAU, junior high — every single coach, I brought them out to the playoffs, to the Lakers series, the (conference) finals. I was waiting this year for the Lakers series.

I grew up in a very poor neighborhood, and to help people in the neighborhood. To be able to go home after you've made it, everybody can't do that. I bought the house of my father, the original house I grew up in. He doesn't like me staying there. But, what he doesn't know...


Q: He doesn't like you staying there?

A: Well, it's rough. It's rough (laughing). I have an apartment there (in Detroit), and he'd rather stay in my apartment, 'cause it's in a nicer area. But, you know, sometimes it gets late, and you don't want to drive. But to be able to help people — and also, to be able to let people touch you who've maybe never been able to touch inspiration before.

I remember meeting Charles Barkley, and that was, now that I think about it, the moment I said, You know what? If I work hard enough, I can make the NBA. And Rick Mahorn used to have camps in my high school, and when I met Barkley, I saw that he was shorter than me, and it was just that simple. I was like, Barkley's dunking on all these fools in the NBA, and he's shorter than me? And I had this big poster of him and Big Daddy Kane on my wall. And I was like, I can do this. And it was just from meeting him.

So a lot of kids in the neighborhood and things, it's not so much that they can become players in the NBA, but I'm no more different or special than they are. So I say what is it that you want to do, what is your goal? And they'll say something, and I'm like, OK, this is all you've got to do. Find out how to do it, work hard at it, and go on. And now I expect you to do it. I think that puts the pressure on them, where they say, this guy in the NBA says I can do it, there must be a reason why.

I've met CEOs of companies who hadn't graduated high school. I have a friend, actually, who is the CEO of a very big company in the South — in the Texas area, actually — who never graduated high school. But he is a workaholic, a workaholic and a family guy. And so I know all it takes is hard work.

My mother made us go to school. My mother's a teacher. I wanted to go to school with Jalen Rose and Voshon Leonard and Howard Eisley, they were all at one school. And I wanted to go play with them, cause I lived right down the street from Jalen ... and my mother was like, no. I want you to go to this preparatory school, and you've got to wear a suit every day. And I was like, well, if I gotta go, you've got to make Kevin go, 'cause he's my best friend — still is. So we go out there, and my freshman year, here I was going to school with kids who had more than me, that had parents who were totally rich, and I had my mother driving us to school in a broken-down van with six kids in the back. I was so embarrassed I would try to have her drop me off in back of the school and walk around to the front, and she was like, no. You're not ashamed of me. I'm dropping you off in front of the school.

But going through those instances made me really see the value is in who you are, not what you have. And so when you talk about money, I think the biggest thing it does, it's helped me to help others. And definitely to go on vacation or have special things, but those things — times like right now, money can't help you. I've always told young players, I make the money, the money doesn't make me. I know a lot of people who money makes them.

Q: What's the worst thing about having money? Or is there a worst thing? Maybe I'm presuming too much.

A: There is, there is. But I don't know if it's having money or being famous. For instance, about two weeks ago, I get a call from the police, and, 'You've been served with ... somebody has filed a restraining order.' And I'm like, what? And they're like, we have to serve you ... And I was served because a crazy lady said that I came to her job and harassed her. From what I understand, she's in her 50s. I've never met her before. Said I harassed her. And what was great was that she gave three specific dates. One date I was having surgery. The other day I was in New York (doing rehab). The other day I was in L.A. working out.

But I guess I threatened her life.

Q: I didn't know you had it in you.

A: I didn't either! I threatened her life, I made sexual advances toward her, and I've never met her. So now I have one (restraining order) against her, of course. But she wrote letters here to the Kings ... and (the security guard) kept them, and so it (the case) is over. But going through this, what's on your mind is, What if it gets out? Because if it gets out, all people are going to say is, Chris got a harassment suit against him. I mean, seriously. You're gonna hear from your boys ... you mother is going to be teaching at school and hearing this, kids saying, What did you son do? Because that's the first thing. It's not, someone filed a harassment suit, it's, What did Chris do? Why he do that? What's he harassing people for? He ain't got to do that.

Q: You're talking about perception being reality.

A: Exactly. Like what happened in Washington, D.C. I was called for rape with Juwan. So I get to practice, and Wes Unseld says, what happened? And this and that. And I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about. If I saw her today, I would sign her autograph. You know, we ended up suing her, and donating money to the rape foundation. But all at that time was the cameras following us, people talking — and I've never met her. I've never met this lady who filed this harassment suit. So I think one thing people have to understand is, you're definitely blessed, and for me to complain is stupid. But this is just the fact. And I'm not saying woe is me, or feel sorry for me. But these are the things.

I can't have a bad day. I can't eat and be thinking about, man, I can't wait to get back and play, and be eating pizza with my hands and then someone shakes your hand. I can't not shake your hand ... I think for a lot of us, your privacy is everything, just to be to yourself. And I think that's why I've been a housebody for so long, unless my friends take me out. Or, I want to say I live on my boat. That's not true, but I'm fishing every other day. Those are the quiet times...

Q: Do you ever feel, or do you feel all the time, that you live outside your own body? It seems to me that a lot of people to whom fame has come live kind of two lives, and one is the life they're living, and the other is the life they feel inside of them ... Not to get too flowery, but going through this surreal episode that you went through this past year, was there a point where you felt like, "I can't believe I'm living this. I'm watching this."?

A: You don't even know. I felt like that definitely in court, like I had jumped out of my body and was just looking at myself. And I felt like that last night at the game (Kings season opener). It's nothing against being interviewed by ESPN, but I want to be interviewed coming off the court. I haven't gotten to play in New York in two years. LeBron's first game, and I wanted to be a part of that, you know? It's tough, it's very tough, and it is like you're standing outside yourself. But it comes back to being a man and doing things to help your team ... It was great talking to the fans the other day (before tipoff against Cleveland). At least I had something to do with the game.

Q: Is he the real thing, LeBron James?

A: He has a very mature game. I really was impressed. I was impressed by his maturity. Having that much athletic ability, sometimes you don't hold responsibility of it ... I liked him.

Q: How do you decide who you trust?

A: You know, it's funny. I can meet someone for 10 seconds and trust them with everything. It really is simple things. Could be a word, could be how someone looks at you ... as far as dating, that's really hard, because the one thing I want more than anything, even more than a championship, is a family. And so that's been hard to do. But I think we all feel that we have to go with our gut instinct, and that's what it comes down to. You make a decision to trust. It's not so much about people proving their trust to you ... You have to make a decision to give people a chance to prove it to you. I'm very trusting, and I think at times that has been my downfall ... I'm definitely a people person, and I've been in the position since probably 12 years old of having people come at me for different reasons, and so I think I've kind of learned patterns of how to trust and not to trust.

But in saying that, you know, we all make mistakes. I've probably let some good people go out of my life, and let some people in who shouldn't have been in.


Q: How do you meet somebody to love?

A: I don't know, man. (Laughs.) That's a tough one as a single man. You tell me. I don't know.

Q: I bumped into a keeper. Overachieved, basically.

A: Hey, I hear you on that. Hold on to it. Don't break up a happy home.


Q: Did you ever find any decent soul food in Sacramento?

A: Man, I did, I did, a whole lot of good soul food in Sacramento. (Laughs.)

Q: How did that episode play out?

A: You know, that is the funniest thing, 'cause I'm always going to be remembered for that. This is what happened: I said, "I've got to drive an hour to get some good soul food," because at the time I was in Roseville, and I would go to H&B Cafe. They have great soul food. So that's an hour. It really, really is. But in the next phrase I said, "But I'm lucky because I love P.F. Chang's, and I love Chinese food, and I love sushi, and I've got all those really close to my house.

But that was the year of, Will he come back? Will he go? ... But everybody asks me that. That question, and the question of am I going to stay or am I going to sign a contract, as if I already haven't. Those are the two biggest questions I get.

Q: Well, my question regarding your contract would be different: Did you already sign your last contract? Because this one has five full years to go. It's a tough game. It's not a game that ages bodies very well. You've paid the price a couple of times already, physically. So has it occurred to you that you've signed your last deal?

A: No, I haven't signed my last deal. I probably have about eight more years to play. And I think if anything, I've been fortunate with the injuries I've had. The knee, that's the most serious so far, but your shoulder, that's nothing. My ankles, that's something I can always rehab ... my ankle is not something that's a serious injury. It's something where I play in the paint and I jump, and I'm gonna be susceptible to twisting it. Last year was so frustrating because I twisted it when a guy flopped ... But I've learned how to play on the floor. And I'm gonna be above the rim this year. Now, when you go for my pump-fake, I don't have to drive and try to flip it up. I can drive and dunk it on you. I can get back to that game.

I feel so healthy and so young that, no, I haven't signed my last contract.

Q: With the ankle, is part of the problem just that you don't have the push, don't have the explosiveness that you want to have?

A: It was embarrassing not to have my push. To hear people saying, Oh, he's not playing his game ... and them not knowing. But this is how the ankle injury became serious. I hurt it when Jason (Williams) was here. I'm terrible with years. Maybe 20 or 30 games before the playoffs, and I had to come back for the playoffs — on my own. The team has never forced me to play with an injury. But I came back for the playoffs, against Utah, I believe, probably before I was fully healed. That was my decision, because I have to play for a championship.

And then over the summer, you rehab it, but you don't really get to rest it. And then in preseason, I reinjured it because Juwan stepped on my foot. So I missed the first 20 games of that season, and then going through that and it being tender, and still not being able to jump, I didn't have time to rehab it. And then last year, I'm feeling good, and what's funny, the first day my knee was feeling good, I told Pete (Youngman), "My knee's feeling good today," I twisted my ankle against somebody flopping on Utah.

So it was a situation of my not allowing it to rest because I either was trying to come back for the playoffs, or stepping on my foot the way I did ... but I've had time to rehab it this year, along with my knee. I'm not really worried. Will it twist again? Maybe, maybe not. But it's not going to be something that sidetracks me, or anything serious. That's why I say I have a lot of life left on my career me. I'm only 30. I'm pretty athletic when I'm healthy, and right now if anything I've made my body and my legs stronger.

I'm going to have my college hops back. I said high school before the knee injury — that's what I was going for. But now I'll take my college hops back. And I will have that.

Q: Tell me about this team a little bit, because it's not the same team ... a team still trying to get to know itself a little bit. Is this just the facts of life in the NBA?

A: It's just the facts of life. That's why we have a good GM who can handle challenges. Geoff doesn't get all out of sorts because of the talk that minute ... I think we have one of the most talented teams, because he has a way that he wants to play, and we have talent that he wants. Some people that may be perceived to be better are not on this team, because we need specific talent. I shudder to think what Dallas would be with Brad Miller. I think Bobby is really going to be key in holding us together while I'm out.

Vlade — you know, I always hear about Vlade's age and this and that, but ... I'll give somebody Zo, if they want that, but outside of Shaq and Zo, you can't name me a better center. Today. I mean today, last year, the year before that. You can have a guy who blocks a lot of shots, but he's not Vlade ... I think sometimes we get used to somebody being so good, we don't realize how good they are. And I was thinking that last night, watching, thinking, "They can't stop Vlade."

I'm happy to be playing with the best shooter in the league in Peja. It's just that simple. So I think we're a much different team, and do we miss people, do we miss personalities? Yeah. But that's just the league ... That core is still there, and I definitely believe in that core. We've been picked to win it some years and didn't win it, so what about the years that we're not picked? You never know what can happen.

Q: Do you need a new arena?

A: Whoa. As long as we've got the same fans coming, it doesn't matter. As long as it can be just as loud. As long as it doesn't take away from the noise. But I think it's up to the people of this community to decide whether the city needs it, whether it would help the city, I think it's up to the city and to the Maloofs to decide that.

Q: Describe to me your perfect day. Bonus points if you can fit Wailea into the sentence anywhere.

A: Exactly. Just Waliea ... I had a pretty good day about two years ago. I had a friend who had a house in Jamaica. We woke up, and his mother went outside and picked fruit off the tree. We had been fishing. We had fish, eggs, and fruit for breakfast. Then we went ATV'ing. Four-wheeling. I played golf. Went fishing. Went parasailing. Came back, read, and went to sleep. That's a perfect vacation day.

In Sacramento, I'd say waking up, going to practice, going home, getting something to eat, talking to my family on the phone, going out to the river, going fishing, come home, go to the movies, and have a game the next day. That's a pretty good day. And play a little bit of golf, too.

Q: Last CD you bought.

A: Oh, man. The last two CDs I bought were the Greatest from Stevie Wonder, and (unintelligible), the new CD.

Q: First athlete whose poster who taped on the wall?

A: It was either George Gervin, the Iceman, or — no. It was the Nike poster with Chairmen of the Boards, and all the guys wearing the robes. And my Lance Parrish poster with him and the tiger in the alley.

Q: Sports idol growing up?

A: Man, that's tough. It was a group of guys. It was Moses Malone, Isaiah, Bird, and Barkley, and Jordan, and Magic. But I will say Billy Sims and Drew Pearson. And Lynn Swan — I had to wear 88 on every football team. On any given day, I was one of those guys.

Q: It's often said that most athletes want to be rock stars, and most rock stars wish they could be athletes. But would you rather be a music star or a movie star?

A: I'd rather be any of those instead of athlete, because you get more leeway. You know? Would I be such a bad person in the eyes of some of these people if I were an actor, or whatever? Look at what's going on in the world, you know? I say they get more leeway. Probably an actor, I'll say, 'cause a rock star — that's a little too wild, probably.

Q: Worst experience with drugs or alcohol you ever had?

A: College. Tequila. Room spinnin'. Kissing the toilet. I'm sure most people who went to college can probably relate to that.

Q: Best movie ever?

A: To me, it's Braveheart. Because he had a cause, he fought for it, and at the end he died with his friends watching. You don't always get rewarded. You've got to go for the cause.

Q: Has there ever been a moment when you felt you had the world by the ears?

A: (Pause.) Being drafted No. 1 in Detroit, and being traded (to Golden State), and at the party everyone had on Golden State hats. There were no stores open. I don't know how they did it. But just being at home, and dreaming of being drafted No. 1, and your dream coming true. Seeing my father crying. I only saw him cry when his parents died. So just that one moment. Seeing my mother with her quiet sense of wisdom, like, "Don't get too happy. You don't know what comes with it. But I love you. Whatever you want to do." That was the best thing.

Q: Favorite player in the league who's not a King?

A: A couple. I'll probably say KG (Kevin Garnett), Spree ... I can't say a Laker.

Q: Which brings me to my next question: Whose team is it, Shaq's or Kobe's?

A: I think any player in the world would rather play with a dominant big man. I think he's the most dominant player since I've been in the league. I heard Magic even say that he deferred to Kareem, because Kareem was the big man. I say Shaq. If it wasn't for him in there, throwing those elbows, charging and them not calling it, they might be in trouble.

Q: Favorite play in a basketball game.

A: It used to be the alley oop, but now I love watching guards. I love watching one-on-one dribbling with a guy guarding in front of you. Like last night, Bobby almost broke somebody's ankles. I love seeing that. So the way the guard play is right now, guys like Allen Iverson, Bobby, Jason (Williams) — I've seen him break down so many guys. A guard with the freedom to make a play.

Q: One year left in your life. What's the unfinished project you tend to?

A: (Exhales loudly.) I don't know how this is going to sound, but some kids. (Laughing.) That could come out wrong, the part about the babies.

Q: Chris Rock or Tracy Morgan?

A: Oh, Chris Rock.

Q: The soccer star Pele once described a situation in which he felt, in the middle of a game, that he could actually, physically dribble through his opponents — not around them, but literally through him. Some athletes call this the zone, but I'm wondering about the concept of God in sports — and not the kneel-at-the-50-yard-line-after-the-game kind. Did you ever have a moment in a game in which you felt you were on, say, a different plane?

A: I don't know if it was on that plane, but I've had moments where I felt that whatever I did was right. It happened a lot the year that I was making a decision where to go (as a free agent). I didn't feel the pressure of playing, or anything. I just felt like all the practicing and stuff, the timing, everything had clicked. Everything made sense. My decision-making — even if some of my shots were bad, they were going to go in. The shot was going to fall.

I think the Pele experience is still ahead of me. Even the things I'm doing on the court now, my game has improved dramatically. That's one thing that keeps me going: I haven't played my best ball yet, by no means of the imagination. I don't know if I have experienced that totally, but I know I've felt that I could do no wrong. And what's funny is that I feel that I'm going to have that feeling this year, the one you just explained.



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[Be Like Mike]

진짜 말 많이 했군요 ;;;

[seven]

빨리 복귀해서 24-12 해주길 -_-a

[스프리짱]

이걸 다 번역하는 지니누나도 대단하다 정말......