Patrick Beverley recently re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, agreeing to a new deal worth $40 million. Although Beverley is now getting the first big payday of his career, the notoriously tough defender isn’t ready to get complacent. Joining SportsCenter shortly after his deal had been signed, Beverley acknowledged that he’s still ready to talk his talk.

Beverley joined Scott Van Pelt earlier on ESPN to discuss his contract, the Clippers, and the new state of the NBA. During the discussion, Van Pelt asked if Beverley would run the risk of becoming “brand new” now that he’s gotten a big payday. Thankfully for Clippers fans, Beverley has no plans to.

“I don’t think I could change if I even tried to,” he said. “I’m still Pat, and I’m still going to have fun with basketball, I’m not backing down from anybody just because I was blessed to receive one of the best paydays from the L.A. Clippers, that doesn’t change my basketball play. I want all the smoke, and I ain’t stopping either.”

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Clearly, Beverley has no intention of changing who he is on the court, which should be music to his fans ears. Throughout his career, Beverley has become known as a player who is unafraid to go against any player, and his elite defending skills help when it comes time to talk it out with certain players. During his most recent playoff run with the Clippers, Beverley caught the respect of Kevin Durant, who praised Beverley for his skill and for him not backing down.

As the Clippers continue to await the decision of Kawhi Leonard, the team looks to have solidified itself despite the upcoming decision. They’ll be bringing back most of their veteran players, and the young core that helped lead them into the playoffs last year will still be there, and developing with each game. Should Leonard choose to head to the Clippers, it’ll make for a very strong team that could contend for an NBA Championship immediately.