Basketball is more than just a game. We say this because when you are on the court, you are displaying your basketball skills and physical toughness and playing with your mind and soul. Your determination, hard work, and success are incomparable.
This is why even off the court, you always keep thinking about this game and ultimately, it becomes an integral part of your life too.
Many will argue and say it’s a sport after all. It's possible to be a winner or a loser. So take it easy, dudes. There is nothing to take it seriously. On the contrary, true passionate basketball fans will stand up and say this game is the real objective of life. Even they often quote from some of the best lines told by famous NBA superstars. In this article we've listed 30 best basketball quotes of all time.
Table of Contents
- 30 Best Basketball Quotes from Legendary Players
- Tim Duncan
- Kobe Bryant
- Charles Barkley
- Kevin Durant
- Brandon Jennings
- Red Auerbach
- Michael Jordan
- Phil Jackson
- LeBron James
- Bill Russell
- Bob Knight
- John Wooden
- Dr Jack Ramsey
- George Raveling
- Drazen Petrovic
- Wilt chamberlain
- Dean Smith
- Bo Ryan
- Kareem Abdul Jabber
- Larry bird
- Phil Jackson
- Michael Jordan
- Magic Johnson
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Michael Jordan
- Kyrie Irving
- James Naismith
- Dean Smith
- Bobby knight
- Bill Russell
- Our Verdict
30 Best Basketball Quotes from Legendary Players
So, we bring to you some of the best basketball quotes from legendary players. Not just in your professional basketball career, you can also take the inspiration to improve or go forward with your life by reading these motivational basketball quotes. So, let's see some best basketball motivational quotes of all time.
Tim Duncan
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best"
Kobe Bryant
"You always have to be on edge. You always have to take every practice, every game like it is your last"
Charles Barkley
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I ‘m the best looking guy in the world and I might be right"
Kevin Durant
"Hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard"
Brandon Jennings
"The harder you work during peace, the less you bleed during war"
Red Auerbach
"Some say you have to use your five best players, but I found out you win with the five that fit together best as a team"
Michael Jordan
"I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed"
Phil Jackson
"Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender me for the we"
LeBron James
"Every night on the court I give my all and if I am not giving 100 percent, I criticize myself"
Bill Russell
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot"
Bob Knight
"I just love the game of basketball so much. The game I don’t need the 18,000 people screaming and all the peripheral things. To me, the most enjoyable part is the practice and preparation”
John Wooden
"If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes"
Dr Jack Ramsey
"Basketball, like all sports is predicated on the execution of fundamentals. The coach is a teacher. His subject fundamentals"
George Raveling
"When I went to catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team"
Drazen Petrovic
"Many times they asked me from where I got so much will, desire for training, the hunger for baskets when I achieve everything in basketball and I don’t need to have new evidence. Answer is not difficult. While playing basketball I want to be the best"
Wilt chamberlain
"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds"
Dean Smith
"You should always sub a player out when you see them not going full speed or they’re playing selfish basketball"
Bo Ryan
"I’m still waiting for perfection. In the meantime, I’ll settle for persistence"
Kareem Abdul Jabber
"Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group. It enhances everybody"
Larry bird
"Once you are labeled the best you want to stay up there and you can’t do it by loafing around. If I don’t keep changing, I’m history"
Phil Jackson
"Not only is there more to life than basketball, there’s a lot more to basketball than basketball"
Michael Jordan
"I can accept failure but I can’t accept not trying"
Magic Johnson
"Ask not what your team mates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your team mates"
Shaquille O’Neal
"I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok"
Michael Jordan
"Some people want it to happen. Some wish it could happen. Others make it happen"
Kyrie Irving
"Basketball is not a game. It is an art form. You master the fundamentals so you can forget ‘em, so you can improvise and just concentrate on what really matters, getting buckets"
James Naismith
"The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. those boys simply would not play- Drop the handkerchief"
Dean Smith
"There is a lot of basketball beyond our control but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does"
Bobby knight
"Good basketball always starts with good defense"
Bill Russell
"The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play"
Our Verdict
You must remember one thing- to be successful; you must go through all your obstacles. Even you may find a wall in front of you. Then you must figure out how you can go over the top of a wall or climb it.
This evolution or transformation whatever you call it, won’t just happen in a day. You need to show a specific gut and incredible desire to reach the top of your game. We hope these best basketball quotes about life will boost up your childhood dream, and even it may show you the right path in your life.