Paul George wore the reputation of being a gifted player unable to lead his team to prosperity. That label was damaging. The criticism, especially from former players, was piercing. “I think guys would be lying if they say the pressure [doesn’t impact them],” George told the Globe. “It does bother you at times. It does affect you at times. But you got to believe in yourself. That’s where you really test your strength. If you can overcome that and focus on what you can control, and just understand, life has its ways of humbling you. It has its ways of teaching you. And if you’re not prepared to be taught and take the lessons from those moments, then you won’t prepare when it’s time to really perform.”
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Paul George on dealing with pressure: 'It does bother you at times, it does affect you at times'