Basketball Quotes

When I was young, everyone laughed at me when I said that I wanted to be a professional basketball player...now it's my turn to laugh.

We're building a culture of accountability, trust, and togetherness. Entitlement will not be tolerated

I can't make every decision for you. I don't have 14 timeouts. You guys got to get together and talk

You can easily separate 'team guys' from 'me guys' by how they accept coaching. The guys that accept it are about winning

It's not about the number of hours you practice, it's about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice

In order to grow, you must accept new responsibilities, no matter how uncertain you may feel or how unprepared you are to deal with them.

If you're struggling with your shooting, then do other things on the basketball court. Get steals, get assists, get rebounds-do anything on the court to help the team win.

These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess.

There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.

I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

Education is of no value and talent is worthless - unless you have an unwavering aim. Never find yourself without a compass.

Handball, swimming, running, jumping, basketball, and boxing were as much a part of me as breathing.

Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.

I made a lot of mistakes, a lot of things I'm not proud of. But it's only for other people to learn from.

My goal is to win the next game one possession at a time. That's it. I don't have any other goals

The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot.

Pressure is something you feel when you do not know what you are doing.

Basketball is a pretty simple game. What wins is consistency and competitiveness.

Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise

You need to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player

Asthma research is a lot better and new medicines are always coming out to help young people.

I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.

Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul.

I'm like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. If I'm not ready, the sled isn't going to go.

Obstacles cannot bend me. Every obstacle yields to effort.

Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win.

Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers.

As long as they are medicated the right way with the asthma medicine they won't have any problems.

Too much coffee. Too much coffee and Gatorade. It's a hell of a mix. If you're ever tired in the morning, just try that mix, and tell me what you think.

The MVP award was very satisfying in terms of personal accomplishments, but the championship was the most important thing of all.

How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate

A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.

A team divided against itself can break down at any moment. The least bit of pressure or adversity will crack it apart

One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.

You have to defeat a great players aura more than his game.

Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.

I knew I was dog meat. Luckily, I'm the high-priced dog meat that everybody wants. I'm the good-quality dog meat. I'm the Alpo of the NBA.

Bottom line, you're either a risk taker, or your not, and if you don't take risks, you'll never win big.

We communicate all the time, even when we don't realize it. Be aware of body language

Work hard, stay focused and surround yourself with good people.

Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.

Basketball doesn't build character it reveals it.

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.

I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me . . . Failure always made me try harder next time.

My initial response was to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized that I had no character.

If the NBA were on channel 5 and a bunch of frogs making love were on channel 4, I'd watch the frogs, even if they were coming in fuzzy.

Durability is part of what makes a great athlete.

Young people need models, not critics.

To do the right thing at the right season is a great art.