Hoop Dreams (1994)

William Gates: Self

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Quotes 

• William Gates : That's why when somebody say, "when you get to the NBA, don't forget about me", and that stuff. Well, I should've said to them, "if I don't make it, don't you forget about me."

• William Gates : When I had some real problems, I couldn't go to none of them about it. You know, was havin' some problems with Catherine's family and my family and I said, you know, "Coach Pingatore, you know, they finally been gettin' on me about, you know, I'm not doin' this and I'm not doin' that," And the only thing Coach Pingatore said, "Write 'em off." That was ll he told me. And I was like, what kind of advise is that?

• William Gates : Four years ago, that's all I used to dream about was playing in the NBA. I don't really dream about it like that anymore. You , know, even though I love playing basketball, but, you know, I want to do other things with my life, too... If I had to stop playing basketball right now, I think I'd still be happy. I think I would.

• William Gates : When I first went to St. Jo's, I really did eat, sleep, and drink basketball. That was all I did. But, it became more of a job than a sport to play.

• William Gates : That's something I dream and think about all the time, you know, playin' in the NBA.

• William Gates : I give my mother $50 out of my checks. You know, all that she done done for me, I don't think that there'll ever be enough that I can give to pay her back. Unless I make the pros and I'm pretty sure I can pay her back.

  [big smile] 

• William Gates : As soon as you don't tighten one screw, everything falls apart.

• William Gates : It was like my injury was makin' him look bad. I always felt that Curtis should not be livin' his dream through me.

• Self - High School Basketball Coach : How's your knee?

  William Gates : Pretty good.

  Self - High School Basketball Coach : The easiest thing right now would be for you not to play and wait till next year. What do you want to do?

  William Gates : What till next year?

  Self - High School Basketball Coach : Right.

  William Gates : No.

  Self - High School Basketball Coach : You think you're ready?

  William Gates : My next year is now.

• William Gates : It was just a big dream I done have.

• William Gates : Basketball is my ticket out of the ghetto.

• Arthur Agee : It hurt, don't it.

  William Gates : Man, I ain't never wanna go out this way, man.

  Arthur Agee : The last show. I'm tryin' to get it now. I strivin' for the same thing. I'll call you, man. You did great. You played a good game, bro. Alright. It'll be alright. I love you, bro.

  William Gates : I love you, too, man.

• William Gates : I think my Mom, all through High School, really, really was proud of me. She said, "Everybody's throwin' their dreams into you; but, you got to throw you're own dreams into yourself."

• William Gates : Coach Pingatore had these dreams in head. He just wanted me to go the same route he took Isiah... Basketball was just like - he was possessed with it. You know, it was his life. And he wanted it to be everybody else's life too.

• Arthur Agee : What's up man? I told you on the phone what I was going to do.

  William Gates : I'm tellin' you, boy.

• Self - High School Assistant Basketball Coach : Did you talk to any, eh, leading black people on the campus?

  William Gates : The leading black people?

  Self - High School Assistant Basketball Coach : You know, the, well, whoever might be in charge of all the black students on campus. What kind of community life they have with the blacks there. Did you talk to anyone about it? Did you ask some players how they're treated?

  William Gates : Yeah.

  Self - High School Assistant Basketball Coach : What'd they say?

  William Gates : They say they're treated fine. I mean they get the best of everything.