Tuesday, September 30 - With all the NBA preview mags coming out, I was asked by ESPN The Magazine to do a questionnaire for a poll they are giving to a few players around the league. I wasn't allowed to to choose my teammates (even though I did twice), so here's what I came up with ...

Top 5 Shooters - Peja Stojakovic, Ray Allen, Dirk Nowitzki, Mike Miller, Kyle Korver

Top 3 On Ball Defenders - Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Bruce Bowen

Top 3 Help Defenders - Marcus Camby, Shane Battier, Tim Duncan

Top 3 Rebounders - Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan

Top 3 Passers - Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Steve Nash

Top 5 MVP Candidates - Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, CP3, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett

Top 5 Clutch Players - Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony

Guy I Didn’t Realize Was Good - Andre Miller

Best Teammate - Andre Miller

Easiest Coach to Play For - Mike D’Antoni

Toughest Coach to Play For - Larry Brown

Best Leader - Jason Kidd

Toughest Arena to Play In - Utah

Funniest Player - Allen Iverson

Best Trash Talker - Paul Pierce

Strongest Pound-For-Pound - Ron Artest

Most Misunderstood - Ron Artest

Deron or Chris - Deron

Best 5 by Position

PG - CP3, Nash, JKidd, Deron, Tony Parker
SG - Kobe, Dwyane Wade, Rip Hamilton, Michael Redd, Vince Carter
SF - LeBron, Paul Pierce, Melo, TMac, Richard Jefferson
PF - Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Dirk, Amare, Chris Bosh
C - Dwight, Yao, Shaq, Marcus Camby, Al Jefferson

Top 5 Defenders - Ron Artest, Marcus Camby, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Shane Battier

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Friday, September 12 - Just heard the news that the organization just added another year on Coach Maurice Cheeks' contract. Coach Cheeks is what we call a player’s coach. Being one of the few players with his jersey retired in the arena and having a NBA championship, he can relate to the ups and downs of players during the season. He thinks like a player while coaching, which is a sense that can't be taught, kind of like heart. I feel like he also respects the opinions of his players when we make suggestion during practices or games. Many coaches have the motto, “My way or the highway,” and that motto can hold players back from their full potential. Mo has the laid back and “keeping it real” mentality that every player has to respect, treating every player with the same respect, whether rookie or superstar.

I had the opportunity to speak to the incoming rookies at the NBPA’s Rookie Transition Program. It's basically orientation, preparing the new guys for the rollercoaster ride of the NBA life. Classes last all day and night for a week. It was definitely something I needed to prepare me for life on and off the court. Discussions range from finances to drug testing. I was on a panel with a few players including Jason Kidd and the rookies were able to ask us questions so we can give them some tips from a player’s perspective. The general public feels that athletes are overpaid, but they are unaware of the challenges we face everyday. We are scrutinized in the public eye everyday of our lives and are reminded of our “weaknesses” throughout our career. I stressed to players how important it is to be mentally strong on and off the court. You hear the horror stories of the great talents who never made it. There are so many players in the world who could be playing in the NBA but couldn’t handle the mental side. That saying about how the game is 99 percent mental is on point. You have to travel from city to city and perform at your highest level night after night. The players who are mentally the strongest usually have the most success. That’s why the job is year round, because the summers are so important with guys training to maintain and improve.

I’m currently reading the book Next Question by super agent Drew Rosenhaus. It’s a very interesting book describing the role of agents and how they affect the lives of so many young athletes. It's funny because it feels like you're reading a resume, but I can admire a hard working guy building an empire. For a guy to manage hundreds of football players is pretty impressive dealing with so many egos. I truly respect a guy who doesn’t do it for the money, but for his legacy. He’s very detailed in explaining when to stand your ground and knowing when to pull the trigger in negotiations. He also explains the power of relationships and how they can affect your growth. I've had the opportunity to meet anyone from Barack Obama to CEOs of billion dollar corporations from the relationships I've built in the largest fraternity in the world, basketball.

Monday, August 25 - I just resigned a 6-year deal with the Sixers. There were many (Gilbert Arenas) who thought I was crazy for turning down the deal last summer, but it seems it has worked out the way I planned. There are many risks when playing out a contract, but the main thing I wanted to do was go out and prove I was a valuable player in this league and never doubt the decision my agent and I made.

Many wondered what took so long to get the contract done, not realizing that there are many factors in negotiating. I decided to let our GM Ed Stefanski go out and pursue an unrestricted free agent before making my deal priority and I feel he did a great job in landing Elton Brand. I think the addition of Kareem Rush will give the team a much needed three-point specialist we didn’t have much of last season after the Kyle Korver trade. We also acquired point guard Royal Ivey who is coming off his best year in the league.

I was also very happy to see Louis Williams resign as well. I think each year he continues to grow as a person and a player and become a serious threat in the league. It has been four great years with the Sixers and I hope there will be many more to come.

One of my favorite shows right now is the HBO series Hard Knocks Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys. It gives fans a sense of what training camp is like and how tough it is to be a professional athlete. Just watching the show gets my adrenaline going and I'm anxiously waiting for training camp to start for us. I have been a huge T.O. fan since his days with the 49ers because of his hard work and discipline he brings to the game. I played quarterback when I was younger so I'm really into football at all levels. One of my favorite games is College Football 09 and I use Juice Willams from my home state of Illinois.

I’ve had a very interesting and busy summer. I also had the opportunity to do some motion capture in Vancouver, CA with EA Sports for NBA Live ‘09. They basically put you in a body suit with little balls that capture your every move. The had me do a list of basketball movements including jump shots, dunks, and special moves I wanted them to incorporate into the game. They always have my ball handling skills below par, so I made sure they corrected that. Also there were Rudy Gay, Andrea Bargnani, and Tony Parker, who is on the cover. I also had the chance to play the game before it comes out and see what new features the game had.

Wednesday, July 16 - I'm sitting in my Chicago condo watching the new episode of Run's House (I love that show) and listening to N*E*R*D's album Seeing Sounds. Chicago has been my offseason grounds since I've been in the league.

I haven't been doing much lately besides working out and travelling. I had the chance to see the rookie Mareese Speights while in Vegas for summer league, he's better than I expected. But back in Chicago I just go through on court drills, lift weights, and ride around Rush St. and Michigan Ave. the rest of the day. My workouts consist of many, many jumpshots, mainly working on a quicker and higher realease.

I'm sure everyone wants to know what's going on with my contract situation. Everything is kinda in slow motion right now, which is for the most part normal for all restricted free agents. Teams come in and out of play each day and my agent and I are taking our time to see how things develop with the Sixers and around the league. The Elton Brand deal was huge and I feel he will be a huge addition. The opportunity to play with a dominant low post player still in his prime will be exciting.

I'm heading back to Vegas to play with the select team to help the senior USA national team prepare for Beijing. I won't be able to scrimmage due to the contract situation, but I made a commitment to participate so I will be there going through drill work. It is one of my ultimate goals to be an olympian so I think it is important to see the process of the USA team getting ready to take back the gold...

I'm really feeling jet-lagged right now ... I just returned from my trip to China for the Nike All Asia Camp, held in Gaungzhou. I had a wonderful time watching the kids play and seeing the sites of the city.

The most surprising thing was the height of the kids (a 16 year old stood at 7'1"). They are really skilled players who are fundamentally sound. The shoot well and understand how to make hard cuts to the basket, you even see some flare in the point guards as well. It was mostly an offensive show as no defense was played but I enjoyed watching the up and down pace. I had the chance to officiate a few games, which was fun. The players shy away from contact a lot, which is the main difference between Asian players and American players, so I rarely blew the whistle. The kids went through some rigorous drills as Nike's goal was to improve every aspect of every player's game. I was able to be hands on with them through drills and talk to them (with the help of a translator) about the up and downs of the NBA. I also experienced a new appreciation of communication for the players. Some spoke Chinese, others Japanese, or English and they all had to play together in games. I think of how tough it has to be for foreign guys who come into the league and have to adjust to not only the lifestyle off the court, but to the language, play calling, and terminology on it.

I also went through multiple media sessions with the Asian press. It was very interesting to see how into the NBA the people are. They knew my numbers by heart and continued to remind me of the robbery that took place in the 2006 Dunk Contest. They had a little Philly in them with the way they grilled me about the playoffs amoung other things. There is a huge fan base in china and I felt privileged to be a a part of it ... I'm definitely looking forward to making another trip back to the Far East ...

Saturday, April 19- The playoffs start in the less than 24 hours and I am just anxious to get things rolling ...

I'm trying to stay busy to keep from worrying so much about the playoffs. I went to the Phillies/Mets game Friday to check out my boy Ryan Howard and pitcher Johan Santana. The game was cool and I got a chance to get a little camera time while at the game. The crowd showed a lot of love and are very excited to see us back in the playoffs.

A lot has changed since we sealed the our playoff spot. We have been getting a lot of media attention and people are starting to give us a little respect. This will be my second go around in the playoffs and once again we play Detroit, the best team in the Eastern
Conference (in my opinion). They are a very methodical team that tries to control the pace of the game. Chauncey Billups is a very underrated point guard who people don't give enough credit to. He's very strong and is a very clutch shooter. I feel like he and Andre Miller willl be a very key matchup. Rip Hamilton is a great scorer who does a great job of coming off screens. When you help off Rip, you have Sheed and McDyess open for jumpshots they are very capable of making. And Tayshaun Prince might be the most underrated player in the league. He is very lengthy and is a smart player that meshes well with the rest of the guys.

The reason why the Detroit team is so good is because they do the ordinary things better than most and they limit their mistakes. They have less turnovers than any team in the league and they are second in the league in field goal defense. Our practices have been very detailed and the guys are really focusing on the game plan. Our hands are full and we are counted out, but like we've done all year, I feel we can surprise everyone.

My role has changed a lot since my last appearance in the playoffs. I have a lot more responsibility and more is expected of me, which is what I feel I have been preparing myself for since I've entered the league. I was mainly a defender who took open shots in my rookie year, but that role has expanded tremendously. Now I'm the guy who does everything for his team; score, pass, rebound, lead. I'm pumped to take my game to another level in this postseason.

Tuesday, February 12 - What's up everybdody?! All-Star Weekend is in a few days, and while I won't be traveling to New Orleans I will be watching the festivities.

The rookies always get beat up on by the sophs so that game's gonna be a blowout, but it's fun to watch the young guys go at it. Rudy Gay is my pick for MVP.

The skills competition should be good as well. That might be one of the most challenging obstacle courses I've seen, especially the bounce pass through the hole. I watched it up close at the 2005 All-Star Weekend in Houston and the guys were stuggling with that. D-Wade has won it a few times but I'm going to pick steve nash.

The three-point contest should be interesting with Kobe and Rip Hamilton entering. The three-point contest is for guys who have very quick releases to get all those shots off in time and have the leg strength to get through multiple rounds. One of those guys is gonna stink it up, should be funny. I have no clue who else is entering so I'm going to go with defending champ Jason Kapono. Wait, I just found out that Peja is in it, so he's my pick now.

For the slam dunk competition it's a toss up. All those guys are capable of winning. Rudy Gay is a game dunker so I don't know what to expect from him. It's hard to win back to back so I can't go with Gerald Green. That leaves Dwight Howard and the Moon guy. Moon was a globetrotter with a lot of hops and I've seen his YouTube practice tape. If he pulls off that last dunk he'll go down in history as on of the best dunks. He also reminds me a little of former Knick Kenny "Sky" Walker.

As for me I'll be in my hometown of Springfield, Ill. watching my god brother Lawrence Thomas play. He's a junior at Southeast High School and I haven't had the chance to see him play during the season since I've been in the league.

And hopefully this will the last time I'm not playing during All-Star Weekend...

~You are the Master of your Fate, You are the Captain of Your Soul~
W.C. Henley

Sunday, December 30 - It's late Saturday night in Portland, Oregon and the team has been on our usual holiday west coast trip the lasts two weeks. Right now we are playing good basketball and nearing .500. The toughest part of playing on the road, especially the west coast, is dealing with jet lag and getting adjusted to the different time zone. But in the end its basketball and someting we love
doing so we are pumped for the game no matter what time it is.

The toughest part of the game isn't always on the court or a physical aspect of the game. It's the other side that isn't always seen on the stat sheet or found in the media. It's the mental and business side. I just found out that Kyle Korver was traded early this morning (Dec. 29). He was one of the few guys left from my rookie year. He's a great player, great teammate, and a great person. As players we consider ourselves family on the court and we go to war 82+ games a year. You get to know guys and their families in the process of playing the game of basketball, so it's like losing a brother. He was traded to the Utah Jazz Dec. 29, we face the Utah Jazz Jan. 2. In a few days I will be at war with one of my brothers. Just the business of the league...

Wednesday, October 31 - Its 1:30am in Toronto, Canada and I'm in my hotel room anxious for tomorrow (technically later today) to come. First game, first kill. Im surfing the internet and checking NBA.com (there's no TNT in my hotel room to watch the game) and youtube for game highlights just getting pumped up.

Preseason is officially over and every game counts. I've been getting many of the same questions concerning the team and myself from the media.

1. How do feel about the team being rank last in the division?
I pay no mind to other's opinions, its about using what you have and making the most of it. We have a solid group of guys who are ready to go out fight every night. I also feel anytime Im on the floor we have a good chance of winning, and im on the floor 40 plus minutes a night.

2. Am I close to getting a contract extension with the team?
Well the deadline will be here by the time this is posted (Oct. 31st 11.59pm). I want to continue my career as a philadelphia 76er. My job is to play ball and be he leader of this team for 82 plus games a year being consistent across the stat sheet. My agents job is to get the best deal for me. If the deal is done now or later i still will have the same focus on being one of the elite young players in the league.

3. Is there added pressure on being the "go to guy"?
Pressure can either burst pipes or form diamonds. Im focused on the latter.

-Stay tuned ...  #9

Monday, October 1 - This season has officially started with training camp today and I'm more excited than I have ever been. The team is down in Durham, North Carolina at Duke's
campus. I'm more focused than ever, ready to lead the Sixers to another level of play (meaning the playoffs because we haven't been there in awhile).

We just finished media day, which is a few hours of the same
questions I answer over and over. Many of the questions were about my expectations of the team and my role as the leader. I feel like we are going to surprise a lot of teams this year. We are very young but very energetic and hard workers. We have well balanced veterans as well. People don't realize how great of a point guard we have in Andre Miller. He is one of the
best passers in the league. I believe he told us today in our players only meeting, "I want to be top three
in the league in assists." How often do you hear that from a point guard? He makes our offense work so much smoother because everyone on the floor knows he will pass to them at any given moment so the cuts are harder and more crisp.

As far as my role on the team I feel like I will be the main guy that has to make it happen on both ends of the court. Few players change the game on the defense end as well as putting the ball in the hole. Im preparing myself to be mentally
ready to do this not only in every game, but in every practice as well. Being a leader starts with leading by example. I read a quote in a Michael Jordan biography as he stated that he never took a play off in practice because if he did then Scottie would feel like he could, followed by Horace Grant and the other teammates. So he had to play hard every possesion, not only for himself but for his teammates as well.

Which leads me to the word consistency. I as a leader have to be ready each and every minute of every day. You're
representing the team on or off the court. You can't pick and choose what days you want to lead, your team has to know what they are getting from you everyday. I'm definitely looking foward leading the "troops" in practice.

Friday, August 24 - I just left Las Vegas and the men's senior U.S. team and I'm currently in Seoul, Korea attending the Korean Basketball League Developmental Camp with the top 40 high school ball players in the country. Its been a lot of traveling the last few days.

It was a great experience going up against the best players in the league and in the world. The guys seem to be meshing pretty well together to prepare for the tournament they are in now. My squad; to name a few were Channing Frye, David Lee, Devin Harris, and Jeff Green; played the senior team very tough throughout the week. We didn't back down from them at all and stole a few games from them. I think they have the best talent in the world by far and if they can be consistent with a team concept game to game they will be coming home with the gold in 2008. Players that played really well that I feel will give them added support in the olympics were Michael Redd, Mike Miller, and Kobe Bryant. Both Mikes shot the lights out and gave my squad the most problems because they stretched our defense. A lot of the other countries are going to pack their defenses in and let us shoot open shots thinking we don't have any shooters and those two guys are going to be key in exposing them. I think Kobe will give the U.S. team that swagger that they need to be confident in every game. The same swagger that the dream team had going in to Barcelona.

Here in Seoul I'm having a good time showing some of the high school players the tricks and trades of American basketball. The players really seeemed to embrace me when I arrived and I was really surprised because it didn't hit me until I got here that they follow the NBA closely. The difference in their game is that they play at a very fast pace and they drive and kick to an open three point shooter. They aren't as physical and seem to shy away from contact. But they do have some talented guys who have some skills. They have a kid over here who is called the korean Allen Iverson. He was my first pick in a team draft.

The culture here isn't much different from the states, so it's been easy to adjust to the things that aren't as Americanized. They have many American restaurants so I have hit up places like Outback and Bennigan's. I actually ate a place owned by LPGA golfer Se Ri Pak which was very good.

My days consist of going to the gym to assist in drill work and coach games with the high school players. Ive been trying to install a killer instinct into their games and I've had some success because they do love the game. Then I sqeeze in a workout for myself with my trainer to stay on top of my game, because I always want to be better than yesterday.

Monday, August 13 - I just wrapped up my camp and charity weekend in my hometown Springfield, IL. The Andre Iguodala Youth Foundation and myself would like to thank all those who came out to show support, especially my Sixers teammates Steve Hunter, Louis Williams, and rookie Thaddeous Young. My main focus is on the inner city youth and to assist them in anyway possible. Growing up I didn't have a lot of role models to look up to, but now that I have the opportunity to play that role for kids and I try to embrace it.

I've really just been in grind mode the last couple weeks, getting my workouts in and hitting the weights everyday. I'm headed to vegas to help the u.s team prepare for the olympics. I'm looking foward to soaking in as much information as possible from some of the greatest players in the world. I'm very honored just to be on the same court as the team who is representing our country. It is a goal of mine to be a part of the 2012 team.

--flight9

Friday, July 6- What's up fans,

Welcome to the new site, thanks for all the love and support that you've given me through the years. It's July and I am currently in Las Vegas watching our young guys play summer league. I'm really excited to see our newest additions to the team, especially Thaddeus Young. I feel like he will be a very good compliment to the team and his style of play will mesh well with mine.

As far as myself goes, I've been training in Chicago with my trainers at Attack Athletics. I'm really in grind mode putting in mutiple hours a day on all the areas of my game. I think the main things to stay consistent in this league are hard work and dedication. A lot goes into those terms and it's not just going to the gym and shooting a couple shots. It starts with having the mental focus to want to get better everyday, eating healthy, getting the proper rest, hitting the weights and going through game situations while training.

I am looking foward to updating you guys on what's up with me on and off the court.

--flight9

Friday, June 22 - Hey Everybody, thanks for checking out my new website. It was created in order to give you a better idea of what's going on in my life and give you inside access to photos, downloads, and information that can't be found anywhere else.

Perhaps the best source for inside information is right here, in my blog. I'll try to update it whenever I get the chance, so keep checking back to see if I've added anything.

Until next time!

'Dre