Basketball Coaching Quotes

• If we magnified blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.

  John Wooden

  Basketball, Gratitude, Disappointment

  Andrew Hill, John Wooden (2002). “Be Quick - But Don't Hurry: Finding Success in the Teachings of a Lifetime”, p.117, Simon and Schuster

  61 Copy quote

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• If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach has a monopoly on the knowledge of basketball. There are no secrets in the game. The only secrets, if there are any, are good teaching of sound fundamentals, intelligent handling of men, a sound system of play, and the ability to instill in the boys a desire to win.

  Adolph Rupp

  Basketball, Teaching, Intelligent

  48 Copy quote

• The first shot does not beat you.

  Chuck Daly

  Basketball, Coaching, Firsts

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• For us to be successful on defense, we must get back and stop the basketball, eliminate easy baskets, keep the ball out of the lane, and bother the shooters.

  Dick Bennett

  Basketball, Successful, Coaching

  6 Copy quote

• Leadership starts at the top.

  Morgan Wootten

  Basketball, Coaching

  6 Copy quote

• Picking an assistant coach, the first thing I was interested in was the man's character.

  Woody Hayes

  Basketball, Character, Men

  19 Copy quote

• We may not be the best conditioned team in the country, but our players think they are.

  John Wooden

  Basketball, Country, Team

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• A great way to test the conditioning of your team is the two-mile run.

  Bobby Knight

  Basketball, Running, Team

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• They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.

  Red Auerbach

  Basketball, Winning, Player

  64 Copy quote

• Practice structure determines success.

  Bobby Knight

  Basketball, Practice, Coaching

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• Coach now the way you want to coach 10 years from now.

  Jerry Krause

  Basketball, Years, Coaching

  6 Copy quote

• Good sound habits are more important than rules - use concepts.

  Mike Krzyzewski

  Basketball, Coaching, Important

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• I do not want players who do not have a keen desire to win and do not play hard and aggressively to accomplish that objective.

  John Wooden

  Basketball, Winning, Player

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• The more things we can get kids to do correctly off the court, the more they will do correctly on the court.

  Mike Jarvis

  Basketball, Kids, Coaching

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• I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.

  Phil Jackson

  Basketball, Believe, Player

  17 Copy quote

• Coaches can talk and talk and talk about something, but if you get it on tape and show it to them, it is so much more effective.

  Larry Bird

  Basketball, Coaching, Tape

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• Defense can't guard two things in a row.

  Chuck Daly

  Basketball, Two, Coaching

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• A lot of guys go through their whole careers and don't win a championship, but are still great coaches.

  Chuck Daly

  Basketball, Winning, Careers

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• I don't recruit players who are nasty to their parents. I look for players who realize the world doesn't revolve around them.

  Pete Carril

  Basketball, Player, Parent

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• Good players can take coaching; great players can take coaching and learn.

  John Wooden

  Basketball, Player, Coaching

  6 Copy quote

• We put a premium on knowing what the other team does. Then we try to take them out of it.

  P. J. Carlesimo

  Basketball, Team, Knowing

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• Treat each player as your own son/daughter if you can...the parents have invested in you.

  Henry Iba

  Basketball, Daughter, Son

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• Use different basketball offensive alignments to cause confusion for the other team.

  Hubie Brown

  Basketball, Team, Confusion

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• Basketball is a sport that involves the subtle interweaving of players at full speed to the point where they are thinking and moving as one.

  Phil Jackson

  Basketball, Sports, Moving

  8 Copy quote

• Don't try to imitate other coaches. Be your own person with your own style and do your own thing.

  Hubie Brown

  Basketball, Coaching, Style

  16 Copy quote