Having a lot of money for the first time can cause some issues. There are players who have lost friendships and had family relationships strained because of money. The money changes how people treat them, and all of a sudden instead of being family or a friend, they become an ATM. There are a lot of guys in the league who constantly feel the weight of taking care of people back home.

Being in the NBA can be tough on marriages and families. It is hard to be away your kids so much. When you miss your child’s Christmas program or a birthday, it bothers you. To everyone else, your road game against the Spurs seems like a really big deal, but your kid only knows her Dad couldn’t make it to her soccer game, even though he really wishes he could be there. I’ve been told around 80% of NBA marriages end in divorce. Every divorced couple has their own reasons why the marriage didn’t work, but this career definitely adds some obstacles.

Whatever path you take in life will present its own challenges, and playing in the NBA is no different.

@BriceDick you look like a hairy guy. On a scale of 1-10, how hairy is your chest? Be honest.

@Paul_MSP_YYZ How do you make the most of your in-transit down time while traveling during the season?

On the plane, I like to watch TV series on DVD. I love it when I’m behind multiple seasons, so I can burn through all the episodes back-to-back. I have watched every episode of The Sopranos, The Wire, Friday Night Lights, and Breaking Bad this way. I like trying to introduce different guys to shows I think they might like. I try to put everyone on to watching Breaking Bad, and have gotten a couple of guys into it. I got Shaun Livingston to become a Curb Your Enthusiasm fan. Byron Mullens and I used to watch Sons of Anarchy. I’m pushing Mad Men on a couple of guys now, but so far nobody has gotten into it.

@ThunderAddict When taking a charge how do you absorb the hit by the player and prepare your body for impact of the floor?

Taking a charge is all about anticipation and seeing a drive coming. You can usually tell if a guy is going to try to get all the way to the basket. When you see them make their move, you have to get outside the charge circle as quickly as possible. Despite what the rulebook says, I feel like referees are more likely to give you the call based on where you get hit rather than if you are totally set. If you slide over a little, but the offensive player runs into the middle of your chest, you are more likely to get the call then if you are perfectly still but the guy slides around you and hits you on the side. I usually flex my powerful ab muscles and my chest to brace for the collision, then when I get hit and fall, I try to push off my heels and slide back, as opposed to letting my back go straight into the floor. It usually doesn’t hurt. Every once in a while you bang knees or get hit in the family jewels, but not often.