Coming out of high school, however, I wasn't a decorated recruit. As a result, I found myself one month from signing day with only two scholarship offers and they were from the Mid-American Conference.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I was a college football junkie. My mom attended the University of Iowa and so I can remember I used to run around the backyard in a number 6, Tim Dwight Iowa jersey when I was very little.

I’m not a guy who wants to skydive and open my parachute at the last minute. I want to open my parachute right away and know what’s coming.

I constantly want to be learning, growing and better understanding things. And see where that takes us.

I love kids that come to shows, little kids coming up to you with braces; like, some kid came up to me in a parking lot outside a show in Santa Cruz - he was about 14 or 15 - and he said, 'Y'know, I love 'The Basketball Diaries,' but I hope your next book of poetry isn't gonna be as academic as 'Living at the Movies' was.'

I used to take pride if my kids were playing basketball, and I'd be there, and I wouldn't say anything. People were obviously expecting me to yell and scream at the ref and at them and everything. I wouldn't say anything.

I just realized that basketball and going to the NBA was a possibility, and that's something that I want to use to better my family and possibly help the world if I can.

If football is your passion in life and you would rather play football for 20 years and have a shortened life span, that's your choice.