NBA ALL-STAR MEDIA DAY

February 18, 2023

Paul George

Media Day Press Conference

PAUL GEORGE: Our focus is on the guys that are there and building the relationships and the bonds going forward. Whatever part of the season that we're in.

So that's -- I leave that up to the front office.

Q. (On DeMar DeRozan.)

PAUL GEORGE: I think, you know, his -- just his consistency. You know, he is a consistent guy, and, you know, he is battle-tested. Night in, night out he is there. He plays to win, plays the right way. He competes at the high level.

DeMar is a guy that is going to do the little things as well. He goes and guards the best players on most occasions. So, you know, he has huge respect across all of us. We generally just love DeMar. Good dude. Been knowing him for a while. You know, we just love his approach and what he brings to the game.

Q. You can really see that respect. What is it about his personality?

PAUL GEORGE: He is genuine. He is a genuine dude. Straight-up dude. Loyal dude. You know, you gravitate and, you know, you want to be around guys like DeMar because he is authentic. He is himself. He is real, and you appreciate that.

Q. You were the first team that got to play against Kyrie last time. What were your initial impressions around that trade? What do you think the potential is now?

PAUL GEORGE: It was crazy. It was crazy that trade happened, and I joked with Luka today because we usually, what we call fire on him, which is double-teaming him to get the ball out of his hands. Now you can't do that because if Kyrie gets it, you're in the same predicament.

They're going to be special together. I know they're still figuring it out, who gets the last shot and whatnot. They have to figure out the little wrinkles, but those two are going to be special together. Elite scorers. Elite playmakers.

You know, they're definitely going to be a team that's fun to watch.

Q. (On the Western Conference.)

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah. It's competitive. Every team top to bottom is competitive. It's going to be fun. Playoffs is going to be a grind, but you look forward to it. You want the competition. You know, whoever comes out of it is well-deserving to win it all.

Q. (No microphone.)

PAUL GEORGE: What do I see out of it?

Q. What do you think?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, it's cool. At the end of the day, I made shoes that I wanted guys to be comfortable in and wanted to make shoes that are a player's shoe.

So, it's dope, you know, to see a lot of the young guys, a lot of the young kids that looked up to me and watched my career and been a fan of mine to, you know, want to wear my shoes and represent for me. It's an awesome thing to see.

Q. (No microphone.)

PAUL GEORGE: No, I don't look at it that way. I don't look at it that way. It's more so, it's just an honor that they respect me to wear my shoes. Especially playing against me. I know a lot of guys that wear my shoes, and when they play me, you know, they don't want to throw it on because they think I might look at it as an edge that I'm having against them, but I don't look at it that way. It's cool that they want to wear my shoes.

Q. What do you think of highlights and mixed tapes? Did you have a highlight or mixed tape that went viral when you were in high school?

PAUL GEORGE: I didn't. I got some crazy clips, though. I wasn't on the scene early on in my high school days, but if there is somebody that can make a mixed tape of me, I got some crazy mixes.

Q. Are there guys that you were inspired by?

PAUL GEORGE: I watched from O.J. Mayo to Lance Stephenson, Jrue Holiday, Derrick Rose. You know, even though we're the same draft, but watching John Wall, all the guys up and coming and the guys that were before me. That was, like, fuel to the fire for me to keep me working and keep me in the gym. I would watch their mixed tapes.