I remember, growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't really get into the gritty bits of slavery. It's a very, very small section in the history books. It's not something they really touch on directly with American curriculums.

We're still talking about women's rights. We can't be the greatest country in the world. I think once we lose that illusionary veil of thinking that we are, we can face the problems and really try to fix them.

I think the knowledge of where you come from gives you more of an affinity for understanding different cultures and learning.

I can literally count on one hand how many slave stories have gotten notoriety over the past few years.

I have a very round mound of rebound thing going on. I was a surprisingly good shooter, too. If I could have any job in sports, though, I'd want to be playing first base for the Yankees.

My goal simply was to have an impact, to try to make a contribution and help the team win. I wasn't thinking, 'I want to play well, so I start the next game.' But every kid's dream is to play in the World Cup. Watching at home with your parents when you're 10 years old, you never think you'll be there in the future.

When I was four, five, my granddad took me over to the park to play basketball. There was no way I was getting a ball into the net, but he said we stayed there until I got it in. I always remember that. He used to say to me, 'When you think you're going to do something, you won't ever stop.' I think that's the person I've been all my life.

I was enjoying my football, even though it wasn’t really going well. That’s when I said to my dad, who as a New Zealander was very keen on me playing cricket, that I would choose football."