Basketball Quotes

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

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  295 Copy quote
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  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, Integrity

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

  1721 Copy quote

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• Sometimes a player's greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.

  Scottie Pippen

  Teamwork, Inspirational Sports, Fun

  63 Copy quote
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  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.

  219 Copy quote

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• 

  My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.

  Jim Valvano

  Inspirational, Daughter, Fathers Day

  155 Copy quote

• Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.

  John Wooden

  Motivational Sports, Character, Winning

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

  85 Copy quote

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• If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspiration, Athlete, Recovery

  34 Copy quote

• The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

  Vince Lombardi

  Inspirational, Motivational, Teamwork

  Vince Lombardi (2012). “What it Takes to be Number One”, p.70, Thomas Nelson Inc

  82 Copy quote

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• Chance favors those in motion.

  James H. Austin

  Inspirational, Favors, Chance

  17 Copy quote

• I want to do for rebounds what Michael Jordan did for dunks.

  Dennis Rodman

  Want, Jordan, Rebound

  FaceBook post by Dennis Rodman from Jul 22, 2016

  66 Copy quote

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• To be a team, you must be a family.

  Don Meyer

  Team, Coaching, Basketball Coaching

  12 Copy quote

• You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.

  Michael Jordan

  Eight, Practice, Nba

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

  168 Copy quote

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• 

  My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Motivational, Strength

  Michael Jordan, Walter Iooss, Mark Vancil (1995). “I'm back!: more rare air”, Harpercollins

  81 Copy quote

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  Everyting negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.

  Kobe Bryant

  Opportunity, Nba, Challenges

  124 Copy quote

• When it's played the way is supposed to be played, basketball happens in the air; flying, floating, elevated above the floor, levitating the way oppressed peoples of this earth imagine themselves in their dreams.

  John Edgar Wideman

  Dream, Air, Flying

  16 Copy quote

• Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

  Michael Jordan

  Motivational, Positive, Sports

  81 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

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• A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That's how I want you to play.

  Mike Krzyzewski

  Team, Hands, Nba

  "Duke of the Court". Interview, www.achievement.org. May 22, 1997.

  64 Copy quote

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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

  84 Copy quote

• Young people need models, not critics.

  John Wooden

  Youth Of Today, Nba, People

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

  82 Copy quote

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• 

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

  Kobe Bryant

  Funny, Sports, Guy

  107 Copy quote

• I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.

  Shaquille O'Neal

  Funny, Money, Tired

  28 Copy quote

• Jackie Robinson, as an athlete and as someone who was trying to make a stand for equality, he was exemplary.

  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  Athlete, Equality, Trying

  8 Copy quote

• Every night on the court I give my all, and if I'm not giving 100 percent, I criticize myself.

  LeBron James

  Inspiration, Night, Giving

  27 Copy quote
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  You have to be able to accept failure to get better.

  LeBron James

  Inspiration, Failure, Get Better

  107 Copy quote