"Basketball to me means an escape from reality. The love I have for basketball is the true escape. The gratitude that I have for that ball…literally that ball has taken me to more than 30, 40 countries. Thanks to that ball I met my wife. Thanks to that ball I have my daughter. Thanks to that ball, I work on something that I can work on happily, I can be happy in my work, I can enjoy my work. Thanks to that ball I can take care of my relatives. A simple round ball has led me and has helped me so much in my professional life and in my life off the court as well. I would say that this ball has given me everything, I owe a lot to that ball."