Basketball Leadership Quotes

Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.

John Wooden

Basketball, Motivational Sports, Character

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

85 Copy quote

Show source
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

John Wooden

Inspirational, Life, Change

John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.102, B&H Publishing Group

69 Copy quote

Show source
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

John Wooden

Inspirational, Life, Motivational

"This Speech Was Given Before The #4Women4AllWomen Run" by Powdered Feet, womensrunning.competitor.com. January 25, 2017.

303 Copy quote

Show source
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

Michael Jordan

Inspirational, Life, Motivational

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

Pat Riley

Inspirational, Basketball, Sports

107 Copy quote
The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with each other and they sacrifice personal glory for a common goal.

Dave DeBusschere

Motivational, Basketball, Team

54 Copy quote
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

John Wooden

Motivational, Inspiring, Graduation

John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.160, B&H Publishing Group

97 Copy quote

Show source
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

Michael Jordan

Inspirational, Motivational, Change

"I Can't Accept Not Trying : Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence". Book by Michael Jordan (p. 129), 1994.

217 Copy quote

Show source
When a leader takes responsibility for his own actions and mistakes, he not only sets a good example, he shows a healthy respect for people on his team

Mike Krzyzewski

Volleyball, Team, Mistake

6 Copy quote
Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

Vince Lombardi

Inspirational, Motivational, Success

"Full Text of Governor Ikpeazu’s Inaugural Speech". dailypost.ng. May 30, 2015.

153 Copy quote

Show source
A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.

John Wooden

Basketball, Sports, Teamwork

20 Copy quote
Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.

Vince Lombardi

Inspirational, Motivational, Leadership

Vince Lombardi, Balance Design (1998). “Motivation Lombardi Style”

21 Copy quote

Show source
The most important thing in coaching is communication. It's not what you say as much as what they absorb.

Red Auerbach

Leadership, Sports, Communication

79 Copy quote
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”

128 Copy quote

Show source
A leader has to be positive about all things that happen to his team. Look at nothing in the past as failure.

Mike Krzyzewski

Team, Past, Leader

7 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

447 Copy quote
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

John Wooden

Inspirational, Success, Basketball

John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

1715 Copy quote

Show source
People want to be on a team. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be in a situation where they feel that they are doing something for the greater good.

Mike Krzyzewski

Basketball, Volleyball, Team

20 Copy quote
During critical periods, a leader is not allowed to feel sorry for himself, to be down, to be angry, or to be weak. Leaders must beat back these emotions

Mike Krzyzewski

Volleyball, Sorry, Leader

11 Copy quote
A leader's job is to develop committed followers. Bad leaders destroy their followers' sense of commitment.

Dean Smith

Basketball, Jobs, Commitment

Dean Smith, Gerald D. Bell, John Kilgo (2004). “The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching”, p.33, Penguin

60 Copy quote

Show source
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

John Wooden

Inspirational, Motivational, Positive

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

74 Copy quote

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

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Basketball, Teamwork, Sports

Twitter post from Mar 27, 2013

88 Copy quote

Show source
I didn't get into teaching and coaching for the number of wins or the money. It was a passion for trying to help young people

Bo Ryan

Basketball, Sports, Money

52 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”

37 Copy quote

Show source
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

Michael Jordan

Inspirational, Basketball, Sports

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

143 Copy quote

Show source