Perhaps to understand Lance Stephenson is to comprehend where he is from.
Life isn’t just an amusement park in Coney Island, N.Y.
“I grew up in a neighborhood where it was definitely tough to grow up in,” said Stephenson, one of the many new members of the L.A. Clippers. “You gotta be strong, you gotta work hard because you don’t want to raise your kids there.
“And I think that’s where I got my passion for basketball because when you’re on the floor in my neighborhood, you gotta be aggressive, you gotta be tough, you gotta be mentally strong to be able to stay on the floor and play with the older guys.