Allen Iverson

I love my fans in Philadelphia, but this is the hardest place in the world to play in. And I think it's the hardest place to play in to be a superstar. Just to be the No. 1 guy. All eyes on you - because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves.

I got a lot of love for NBC, Tom Brokaw. He did a lot for me, and I appreciate him, and I owe a lot to him for that.

I gave everything I had to basketball. The passion is still there, but the desire to play is not. It was a great ride.

If I'm not getting older and more mature at 31, then something's wrong.

I couldn't have accomplished the things in my career if I didn't practice, and the worst part about that whole thing is when a kid comes up to me and says 'Allen, I don't like practice, either.' I've got to straighten that kid right then.

As far as how I expressed 'practice, practice, practice' over and over again, I wouldn't take that back because, obviously, that sound bite is great for the media and for the fans, because they love it.

I'm a Hall of Famer, and I can go outside today and go to a restaurant or wherever, and somebody will come up to me and say, 'Practice? We talkin' 'bout practice?' Man, I am a Hall of Famer, and that's all you can think about?

It was a great experience for me - the ups and downs - because I became a man in Philadelphia.

I just want kids all over the world to know you have to practice to be any good in this game; it's too hard.

Being in a fishbowl, everybody looking at every move you make, talking about everything you do - it's just a hard life to live.

Being older, I can't imagine a parent not wanting to be in their kid's life. I will just never understand it. To me, it's priceless.

Either you give in, or you fight. That's all I know, being where I'm from. You fight for what you want. You go after what you want. The only thing I could do was give up or keep fighting for what I wanted in life.