Most players listen to music every game. They have their?headphones on religiously and use music to get them in the right?state of mind. They’d even sing and dance. I rarely ever did that.?Sometimes, even when I had headphones on, there wasn’t any music?playing. It was a feint to keep people away, and to get in my zone.?For the most part, before games I just liked being there, hearing the?sounds of the environment and observing everything.

I made every second of the national anthem count. During those?precious moments, I’m hearing all the little sounds and imbibing the?energy of the arena. I’m taking the opportunity to be aware of?what’s going on, to be aware of the teammates around me, the?basket in front of me, the basket behind me, all the other sounds?and objects. It’s a full concentration and understanding of the arena.

In essence, I’m trying to feel the energy of the environment and?allow it to move through me. That then propels me and fuels me to?have a great performance.

I’ve done that since I was a kid sort of naturally. I never put too?much thought into it. When Phil Jackson came, though, I started to?understand the importance of my personalized meditative process.?From then on, I placed an increased emphasis on it.