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NBA Media Day: Live quotes and video from around the league

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Zion: I don't need numbers if we win (1:47)

Zion Williamson tells Mark Schwarz he's not worried about the hype and is dialed in on the Pelicans' success this season. (1:47)

If it seems as if the NBA never went away this offseason, well ... it didn't. Not really. Among the draft, free agency, summer league and the FIBA World Cup, there was plenty to keep even the most avid NBA fans satisfied.

Now the real fun begins. It's time for training camp, followed quickly by actual preseason games. Before you know it, the Raptors will be raising their championship banner, handing out rings and hosting Zion Williamson for his first NBA game Oct. 22.

But before that happens, players get to meet with the media. We'll have you covered with all the best media day quotes, anecdotes and shenanigans across the NBA.

Watch Media Day Streaming Live

Monday, Sept. 30

Milwaukee Bucks

Full story - Giannis: Free agency talk 'disrespectful' to Bucks


Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry: Getting better with age?


Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers media day gets off to a rousing start.

And then there's Mike Scott's retelling of his highly publicized parking lot fight at the Redskins-Eagles game.

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2:10
Embiid on weight loss: Wanted less stress on my body

Joel Embiid explains why he was motivated to lose 20 pounds during the NBA offseason and shares that he was also driven to acquire more guard skills, as the 76ers lost veteran JJ Redick, who signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in July.

Full story - 76ers' Scott: Should have walked, not fought

For Embiid, less is more

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0:19
Curry jokes about playing 48 minutes a game

Steph Curry jokes saying he's playing 48 minutes in all 82 games this year according to head coach Steve Kerr.

Full story - Lighter Embiid motivated by letdown in playoffs


New Orleans Pelicans

Zion: Not a savior, maybe not human?

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1:07
Doncic confident Mavs can make playoffs

Luka Doncic likes the Mavericks' roster going into the new season, saying this team can make the playoffs.

Ball's big brand move

The rivalry is real


Boston Celtics

Don't sleep on Kemba

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1:36
Lonzo wants to help Zion's transition to NBA

Lonzo Ball describes his goals for the upcoming season, his willingness to help Zion Williamson and his injury status.

Full story - Celtics looking for 'fresh start' after trying season

It's Tacko... Monday?

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1:21
Fall getting used to the attention he's receiving

Tacko Fall says it's been crazy being recognized all over the country. He also is excited to get to work with Brad Stevens and the Celtics.


Oklahoma City Thunder

CP3 back in OKC

Chris Paul actually began his career in Oklahoma City, playing there when the then-New Orleans Hornets were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Now, after an offseason trade sent him from the Rockets to the Thunder, he can call OKC home once again.


Dallas Mavericks

The incredible shrinking JJ

High hopes in Dallas

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2:09
Scott contrite for fighting with Eagles fans

76ers forward Mike Scott acknowledges he shouldn't have fought with Eagles fans, but adds "as far as sympathy for them, I don't feel any for the individuals."

Full story - Bulked-up Porzingis feels 'better than I ever have'


Utah Jazz

Mike Conley Jr. has a new home

This might take some getting used to. After spending the first 12 years of his NBA career in Memphis, Mike Conley Jr. is now the starting point guard for the Utah Jazz.


Orlando Magic

Fresh start for former No. 1 pick


Phoenix Suns

Wave Papi's new drip


Miami Heat

Mr. 305 back for another year

Udonis Haslem, the Heat's all-time leader in rebounds, is back for a 17th season with the team. With Dirk Nowitzki's retirement after last season, Haslem is the active player with the longest tenure with a single team.

Sunday, Sept. 29

LA Clippers

The returning Clippers trio of Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell welcomed new teammates Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. LA took the eventual champion Golden State Warriors to six games in the opening round of the playoffs last season, and added George and Leonard in one of the biggest moves of the summer.

Leonard's playing time was regulated last season, but the Finals MVP says he is feeling much better as he enters his first season with the Clippers. The more Leonard and George play, the more formidable Doc Rivers' defense will be. Rivers has two of the best two-way players in the game in Leonard and George to go with the tenacious Beverley among others.

โ€ข Full story - Healthier Kawhi has no limits entering season

Paul George's return

George, who is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, will not play in the pre-season and will miss the start of the season.

โ€ข Full story - Clips' George to miss time; targeting Nov. return

New group chat, who dis?

Saturday, Sept. 28

Toronto Raptors

The reigning NBA champions enter the season without Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, but they still have a strong core group of Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam.

Team president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said, "Kawhi decided to go to the Clippers, so our team moves on. I can't sit here and trade DeMar [DeRozan] and Kawhi leaves us and be upset. That's the nature of the business. We move on. There are many bright spots with our team."

"I think Pascal will make another jump," Ujiri said. He later added, "I think he can become one of the best players in the league."

On Siakam's contract status, Ujiri said, "He's somebody who I'm definitely going to keep for a long time here."

Meanwhile, shooting guard Norman Powell is ready for his fifth season with the Raptors.

โ€ข Full story - New-look Raptors 'hungry' for another title run

Friday, Sept. 27

Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are teammates in Brooklyn now, and the two of them opened NBA media day Friday.

How KD, Kyrie and DeAndre Jordan came together

Irving:

"They reached out to my family as soon as I committed. And it felt like they were very inclusive with everything they had going on here. And it felt like it was just a step away, being away from home. And they made me feel as comfortable as I could as well as reaching out to KD and DJ and as well as other guys on the team to make sure they know what's going on. That this is for the future. We're here to build."

Durant: "I just evaluated my life up until this point. And once I did that, it was pretty easy to see the direction that I needed to go into. I had some great options on the table with some championship-winning organizations, some smart business minds behind the scenes as well that I could have dealt with around the league, but ultimately, I couldn't have made a bad decision, but this one was the perfect one for me."

DeAndre Jordan: "I mean we always had conference calls. Now we can group FaceTime. That was big. You might want to thank Apple for that."

[What was that conversation like?]

"I mean, it wasn't as exciting as me getting locked in my house a few years ago. But it was cool. It wasn't any crazy conversation. ... It was just like, 'All right. You guys want to do it?'"

On Durant's injury and rehab process

Irving:

"You have to go inside the mind of a competitor and realize that a lot of people have responsibilities for why that ended up happening the way it happened on a national scale. We all know K was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not. He was out 31 days, and we put him on a national stage in the Finals to end up selling a product that came before the person Kevin, and now I'm here to protect that. And I'm going to be the protector of that all throughout the year and not allow people to infiltrate the circle."

Durant: "When I went down, it felt like everybody wanted to put their arms of protection around me. From people I didn't know to my best friend Kyrie. So it felt like everybody grew protective of me at this time. And I feel like they will continue to be that way, especially involving my health. But, I make my own decisions."

โ€ข Full story - KD's focus for season: Health, being teammate

Kyrie goes deep on final season in Boston

Irving:

"So throughout the year, it just became rocky and a lot of the battles that I thought I could battle through from the team environment, I just wasn't ready for. And I failed those guys in a sense that I didn't give them everything that I could have during that season, especially with the amount of pieces we had. My relationship with them personally were great, but in terms of me being a leader in that environment and bringing everyone together, I failed.

โ€ข Full story - Nets' Irving: 'I failed' my Celtic teammates


Los Angeles Lakers

We know what LeBron did last summer

As for next summer...

โ€ข Who's in, who's out for NBA players at the 2020 Olympics

Anthony Davis ready for basketball, leaving movies behind

No Lakers fans, not that one

Kostas Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, signed a two-way deal with the Lakers earlier this summer. On Friday he gave fans a glimpse of what his famous last name looks like in purple and gold.

For the record, Giannis cannot become a free agent until the summer of 2021 at the earliest, and he is eligible to sign a five-year, $253.8 million contract extension with Milwaukee next summer. The Bucks have said they intend to offer Giannis that contract, something that already cost them $50,000.

Eyes on the feet

โ€ข Watch SneakerCenter on ESPN+


Houston Rockets

The new star duo in Houston

โ€ข Full story - Russ calls Harden pairing 'scary' for rest of NBA

A changing of the gear?

โ€ข How PJ Tucker, others are changing the NBA sneakerhead world

Rockets owner: 'I don't see Mike D'Antoni going anywhere'

Over the summer, Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni broke off contract talks with Houston, choosing to go into the 2019-20 season with one year left on his deal. His status with the team was a hot topic on media day in Houston.


Indiana Pacers

No Oladipo to start season

โ€ข Full story - No timetable on Oladipo's return to Pacers


Sacramento Kings

โ€ข Full story - Walton's focus on Kings amid civil lawsuit

2019 NBA offseason guide

NBA Power Rankings | NBA summer forecast


2019 NBA draft


2019 NBA free agency


2019 NBA summer league


2019 FIBA World Cup