Awesome Basketball Quotes

• If you are afraid of failure, you don't deserve success.

  Nastia Liukin

  Basketball, Sports, Athlete

  Twitter post from Jan 3, 2012

  26 Copy quote

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• One man cannot make a team.

  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  Motivational, Basketball, Sports

  24 Copy quote

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

  Bill Russell

  Basketball, Motivational Sports, Block

  101 Copy quote

• If you make every game a life and death proposition, you're going to have problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot.

  Dean Smith

  Inspirational, Funny, Basketball

  71 Copy quote

• If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.

  John Wooden

  Life, Positive, Basketball

  "The Wizard's wisdom: 'Woodenisms'", www.espn.com. June 4, 2010.

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• Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

  John Wooden

  Life, Motivational, Positive

  Fellowship of Christian Athletes, John Wooden (2010). “The Greatest Coach Ever: Timeless Wisdom and Insights of John Wooden”, p.101, Gospel Light Publications

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• When I was young, I never wanted to leave the court until I got things exactly correct. My dream was to become a pro.

  Larry Bird

  Inspirational, Basketball, Dream

  26 Copy quote

• We try to stress the little things because little things lead to big things.

  Steve Alford

  Basketball, Motivational Sports, Stress

  19 Copy quote

• A guy who gives you less than what he has to give is, one, telling you what he thinks of you, and two, telling you what he thinks of himself.

  Pete Carril

  Basketball, Motivational Sports, Thinking

  Pete Carril, Dan White (2004). “The Smart Take from the Strong: The Basketball Philosophy of Pete Carril”, p.196, U of Nebraska Press

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  What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.

  Dean Smith

  Inspiring, Basketball, Sports

  76 Copy quote

• A lot of late nights in the gym, a lot of early mornings, especially when your friends are going out, you're going to the gym, those are the sacrifices that you have to make if you want to be an NBA basketball player.

  Jason Kidd

  Motivational, Basketball, Morning

  FaceBook post by Jason Kidd from Dec 01, 2011

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• What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.

  John Wooden

  Life, Basketball, Motivational Sports

  John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.29, B&H Publishing Group

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• I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  "Nike Culture : The Sign of the Swoosh". Book by Robert Goldman, Stephen Papson (p. 49), 1998.

  261 Copy quote

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• Coaching is easy. Winning is the hard part.

  Elgin Baylor

  Basketball, Winning, Coaching

  21 Copy quote

• Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group. It enhances everybody.

  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  Motivational, Basketball, Giving Up

  39 Copy quote

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

  Helio Gracie

  Basketball, Art, Mma

  81 Copy quote

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

  Michael Jordan

  Basketball, Nba, Fundamentals

  Michael Jordan (1994). “I can't accept not trying: Michael Jordan on the pursuit of excellence”

  99 Copy quote

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• There is no such thing as life in-between.

  Pat Riley

  Motivational, Basketball, Sports

  Pat Riley (1993). “The winner within: a life plan for team players”, Putnam Adult

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• Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

  Michael Jordan

  Motivational, Basketball, Sports

  Michael Jordan (1994). “I can't accept not trying: Michael Jordan on the pursuit of excellence”

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  If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.

  Michael Jordan

  Motivational, Basketball, Running

  Michael Jordan (1994). “I can't accept not trying: Michael Jordan on the pursuit of excellence”

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• Basketball is like war in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it always takes a while for the defense to catch up.

  Red Auerbach

  Motivational, Basketball, Sports

  24 Copy quote

• I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  491 Copy quote

• If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Basketball, Wisdom

  Michael Jordan (1994). “I can't accept not trying: Michael Jordan on the pursuit of excellence”

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• You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.

  Jerry West

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  93 Copy quote

• Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals.

  James Naismith

  Inspirational, Motivational, Basketball

  66 Copy quote