I always say that it’s great to be in the family business [as my dad played professional basketball and my brother, Seth, also plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA)]. I never really thought about doing anything else. My dad had a great career and it’s now such a big thing for me that I am able to make him proud.
On the court I am not scared to fail – I will be the guy who takes that shot, who takes that chance. There is pressure, of course, but one key thing is not to be that guy who is scared of failure, because nothing good can come out of fear.
The playoffs are a time when you know you can help write a bit of history and that’s exciting. It’s when all the teams’ hard work can pay off.
I know that I can get better and that I can still improve. I know I haven’t reached the ceiling on how well I can shoot a basketball. There have been lows and there have thankfully been many highs, but the only direction I am looking
is forward.
Ayesha [my wife] and the kids are everything to me. We were young when we got married – I was 23 and she was 22 – but when you meet the right woman, you just know.
At home, we’re a normal family and my kids get a normal childhood. We eat together, we play together, it still takes us forever to get everybody ready for a car journey just like it does for all other families who have young kids. It is only when I put on my jersey and step onto the court that things are a little different for them.
During my trip to Tanzania I saw firsthand how some parents were unable to protect their children from something as simple as a mosquito bite. My Nothing But Nets initiative was started to address this. If we can help change children’s lives, parents’ lives, then we are achieving what we set out to do.
The world is small now. If I tweet something, it’s read by millions of people within hours. Athlete activism does come with the territory, and we have that platform to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. For me, it’s not a pressure – if you have a platform, it’s only right you should use it for good
Steve Nash and Reggie Miller were two players I really idolised when I was younger – I wanted to be able to morph those two together. Outside of the basketball world, I really admire former president Barack Obama, not only for what he achieved while in office but also for his projects since he has left office. He is quite simply a man who cares.
In terms of off-season trips, myself and Ayesha had a really romantic break in Paris, which is a stunning city. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a beautiful place and we have had an amazing time as a family there in the past. Hawaii is also somewhere where we have had a lot of fun and have celebrated some memorable birthdays.
If I am travelling alone then I use the time to catch upon a book I want to read or maybe a TV show I want to watch. If I am travelling with the family, none of that matters – it’s about packing everything the kids need. Parents reading this will know just how much you need to pack when travelling with kids! Quite often I say to my wife, “What did we used to do with all our time before the children came along?”
SEE ALSO: Ed Sheeran: “I don’t think I will do this forever. I don’t think that far into the future”
This article was originally published in the May 2019 issue of SilverKris magazine
