Greatest Basketball Quotes

Basketball doesn't build character it reveals it.

James Naismith

Basketball, Character, Inspirational Basketball

89 Copy quote
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.

85 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, Basketball

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

1799 Copy quote

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Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

John Wooden

Basketball, Beautiful, God

1274 Copy quote
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.

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A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.

John Wooden

Life, Basketball, Teamwork

John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.88, B&H Publishing Group

81 Copy quote

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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

101 Copy quote

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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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They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.

Winston Churchill

Inspirational, Motivational, Basketball

40 Copy quote
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
If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.

Julius Erving

Motivational, Basketball, Sports

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

Scottie Pippen

Basketball, Teamwork, Inspirational Sports

66 Copy quote
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.

John Wooden

Basketball, Motivational Sports, Character

Andrew Hill, John Wooden (2002). “Be Quick - But Don't Hurry: Finding Success in the Teachings of a Lifetime”, p.114, Simon and Schuster

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One man cannot make a team.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Motivational, Basketball, Sports

23 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
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

90 Copy quote

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I think that the team that wins game five will win the series. Unless we lose game five.

Charles Barkley

Funny, Basketball, Team

7 Copy quote
I know I'm never as good or bad as one single performance. I've never believed in my critics or my worshippers, and I've always been able to leave the game at the arena.

Charles Barkley

Motivational, Basketball, Games

8 Copy quote
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.

Kobe Bryant

Inspirational, Basketball, Attitude

108 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

468 Copy quote
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.

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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

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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.

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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”

161 Copy quote

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You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.

Michael Jordan

Inspirational, Motivational, Happiness

89 Copy quote