This hire will help us become a premiere franchise in the National Basketball Association. Paul's remarkable experience in professional sports and the leadership skills he has exhibited throughout his career as an executive, an educator and a coach will help us enhance the position of our organization both locally and nationally. I believe I hired the best coach in Byron Scott, and now I've added the best front office man in Paul Mott.

I believe it's going to come back. I feel its going to come back bigger and stronger. We're here (Oklahoma City) for this year. New Orleans has a lot do to get back and when they come back, we're coming back. I want the people there to have hope. In a lot of ways that's all some of them have, and I'm not going to take that away from them.

I'd rather have a full house at a medium price than half-full at a high price.

I don't think there's a better city in the country to have an All-Star Game because of all the hotel rooms they have and all the restaurants. Is everything going to be open? I don't know the answer to that. The league, they're not guaranteeing they're going to have the All-Star Game.

If everything was back now, we wouldn't be going through this thing. It's unfortunate, but this is a tragedy we're trying to deal with. We've got to do what a lot of other people have done with their lives and businesses. And that's go somewhere else. It's temporary. But we don't have a choice.

If I don't generate money, I'm I trouble. These people have stepped up to try to keep us whole. I couldn't ask for anything else. I was seeing myself going to the bank borrowing lots of money. I don't see that happening now. It's bittersweet. We've got a place to land and a lot of support, which is positive. But you know, I don't know how the hell to explain it. It's not home. We've got to come back home to help with all the suffering there . . . . it's just hard to describe.

Believe you can do it. Believing something can be done puts your mind to work for you and helps you find ways to do it.

There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.

Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.

Loving life is a two-way street... We don't receive care and compassion if we don't extend them to others.