150+ Inspirational Basketball Quotes
Basketball isn’t just about winning the game. If you play with passion and dedication every time, you will always be a winner. Get inspired by these basketball quotes from the world’s famous basketballers and coaches.
Basketball is enormously popular in many countries around the world today, especially in the US where it was invented. This amusing sport has proven to be a great way to gain strength, coordination skills, team spirit, and muscular endurance. But it is not a simple sport, it takes perseverance, speed, agility, and lots of practice to excel in it.
The National Basketball Association (NBA), founded on 6th June 1946, is an integral part of today’s American basketball culture. However, the NBA only started to gain popularity around the 60s and 70s.
Did you know that the first basketballs were made of brown leather? Interesting huh? So, why the change to the vibrant orange that it is today? Tony Hinkle, coach at Butler University, introduced the iconic orange ball in 1957 to make it more visible to spectators.
Whether you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, or other basketball teams, you know the feeling of anticipation and excitement true fans get when the game comes up.
In this article, we have curated 150+ inspirational basketball quotes to motivate basketball aspirants and enthusiasts. Feel free to share them with your basketball buddies and on social media!
SHORT BASKETBALL QUOTES
1. “I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball.” – LeBron James
2. “Basketball isn’t just a sport. It is an art, one that must be mastered to succeed.” – Steph Curry
3. “Excellence is a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.” – Shaquille O’Neal
4. “We looked like a team at both ends of the court.”― Mike Dunlap
5. “What is love? Love is playing every game like it’s your last.”― Micheal Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
6. “The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not”― Charles Barkley
7. “You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.” – Kobe Bryant
8. “Basketball doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” – James Naismith
9. “Basketball is my passion, I love it.” – LeBron James
10. “It´s not how big you are, it´s how big you play.” – Unknown
11. “The only way to get better at basketball is to play basketball.” – Shaquille O´Neal
12. “The only thing that matters is the final score.” – Magic Johnson
BASKETBALL QUOTES
13. Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.”— Michael Jordan
14.“There is no ‘i’ in team but there is in win.”— Michael Jordan
15. “You want what basketball look like… You don’t want what it feels like” hard work is tough and it hurts.” – Unknown
16.“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.”— Kobe Bryant
17. “I’ll take the contract. He can have the team.”―
18. “No alarm clock needed. My passion wakes me up.. !”― Kyrie Irving
19. “Practice hard, train hard, work hard, and play harder.”― Alcurtis Turner
20. “After all, greatness is not for everybody.”— Kobe Bryant
BASKETBALL QUOTES
21. “I’ve never lost a game I just ran out of time.” – Michael Jordan
22. “If you don’t fall how are you going to know what getting up is like.” – Steph Curry
23. “If you´re afraid to fail, then you´re probably going to fail.” – Kobe Bryant
24. “Coaching is easy. Winning is the hard part.” – Elgin Baylor
25.“I always wanted to be a basketball player. Nothing more, nothing less.” – Dirk Nowitzki
26. “The day I stopped worrying about stats is the day I started winning.” – Shaquille O’Neal
27. “When it gets down to it, basketball is basketball.” – Larry Bird
28. “You can’t win if you don’t play as a unit.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
29. “Those to whom defense is not important will have the best seat in the game.” – RickSlide9 Majerus
30. “Basketball is a beautiful game when the five players on the court play with one heartbeat.” – Dean Smith
31. “Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.” – Lebron James
BASKETBALL QUOTES
32. “I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.” – Joel Embiid
33. “In order to be successful in basketball, you have to be able to adapt and adjust to any situation.” – Chris Bosh
34. “The key to being a great basketball player is to have a strong mental game and to always be focused on the task at hand.” – Steph Curry
35. “Confidence is everything in this game, if you don’t think you can, you won’t.” – Jerry West
36. “All dreams are crazy. Until they come true.” – Dirk Nowitzki
37. “I think the most important thing in basketball is to have a strong sense of teamwork and to always be willing to help your teammates.” – Paul George
38. “I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.” ― Michael Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
39. “Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God’s way to say nobody’s perfect.” – Shaquille O’Neal
40. “The only way to succeed in basketball is to have a strong foundation of skills and to be constantly working on improving them.” – Kevin Durant
41. “If you look up the definition of greatness in the dictionary, it will say Michael Jordan.” – Elgin Baylor
42. “The only way to improve in basketball is to push yourself to be better every day.” – Jason Kidd
43. “I think, team first. It allows me to succeed, it allows my team to succeed.“ –Lebron James
44. “Sometimes a player’s greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.” ― Scottie Pippen
45. “You don’t play against opponents, you play against the game of basketball.” — Bobby Knight
46. “Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.“ – Magic Johnson
47. “If all I’m remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I’ve done a bad job with the rest of my life.” – Isiah Thomas
48. “Basketball is a game with winners and losers, but if you play this game with your heart, you’re always a winner.”―
BASKETBALL QUOTES
49. “… the world needs more roses far more than it needs more basketball players.”― The Lords of Discipline
50. “But that’s the thing about basketball: you don’t play games on paper.”― The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy
INSPIRATION BASKETBALL QUOTES
51. “I am more than just a Serious basketball fan. I am a life-long Addict. I was addicted from birth, in fact, because I was born in Kentucky.”―
52. “The first time I managed to pick up a basketball I knew I was destined to lead the UK to another National Championship.”―
53. “If you want to be a better player, you have to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more.” ― The Mamba Mentality: How I Play
54. “You see this circle? The size of this circle represents everything that I know about basketball. But the size of this ball represents everything about the game that has never been discovered.” ―
55. “Champions never sleep, the eternal spirit keep them alert and awake.”― Enlightenment Step by Step
BASKETBALL QUOTES
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56. “The star player must slay his ego and learn teamwork and communication skills before he can achieve the ultimate in sport”
― The Game Within the Game
57. “Basketball allowed me to revere my father without him knowing what I was up to. I took up basketball as a form of homage and mimicry.”― My Losing Season: A Memoir
58. “Apparently I need shoes with a ‘swoosh’ on the side if I’m to continue playing basketball. ~ Lucius Vladescu”―
59. “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.”―
60. “If handed an actual basketball, I would instantly cry. For me, doing sports was like meeting the Disney characters at Disney World. On TV I loved Mickey Mouse, but when I met the actual real-life Mickey, or rather his impersonator, and he tried to hug me in his warm fuzzy suit, I recoiled in fear.” ― Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
61. “Sometimes a player’s greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.”―
62. “It is not over. Champions extend their limits and make things happen.”― Amit Ray
BASKETBALL QUOTES
63. “Elders of the Creedish church made celibacy sound as easy as choosing not to play basketball. Just say no.”― Chuck Palahniuk, Survivor
64. “A key basketball skill is imagery. The best players “see” situations before they happen so they can be prepared” – Dr. Jack Ramsay
65. “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.” – Red Auerbach
66. “I can’t stand a ballplayer who plays in fear. Any fellow who has a good shot has got to take it and keep taking it. So he misses – so what?” – Red Auerbach
67. “Every time you compete, try harder to improve on your last performance. Give nothing short of your very best effort.” – Elgin Baylor
68. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six 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
69. “The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.” – Bill Russell
BASKETBALL QUOTES
70. “If you love the game and you love playing, just have fun and enjoy it. Work hard and don’t get bogged down by it.” – Blake Griffin
71. “From the beginning, I wanted to be the best. I had a constant craving, a yearning, to improve and be the best. I never needed any external forces to motivate me.” ― Kobe Bryant, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play
72. “In basketball, as in life, true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way.” – Phil Jackson
73. “Basketball is a game of runs, and if you´re playing with a lead, you have to be able to withstand the other team´s run.” – Doc Rivers
74.”I´m not a role model… Just because I dunk a basketball doesn´t mean I should raise your kids.” – Charles Barkley
75. “From the beginning, I wanted to be the best. I had a constant craving, a yearning, to improve and be the best.” – Kobe Bryant
76. “They don’t need a ticket to watch you sitting on a bench. They can go to your house for that.” – Michael Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
77. “In order to be successful in basketball, you have to have a strong work ethic and be willing to put in the time and effort.” – Russell Westbrook
78. “I would tell players to relax and never think about what’s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you’ve lost your focus.” – Michael Jordan
79. The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play “Drop the Handkerchief.” – James Naismith
80.“I’ve played with IVs before, during and after games. I’ve played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don’t miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn’t that serious in the first place.” – Kobe Bryant
81. “The most important thing in basketball is to have a positive attitude and to stay motivated.” – Magic Johnson
82. “There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, & I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either.” – Michael Jordan
83. “You need to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player” – Jon Gordon
BASKETBALL QUOTES
84.“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” – Michael Jordan
85. “I think the most important thing in basketball is to have a strong foundation and to be well-rounded as a player.” – LeBron James
86. “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.” – Kareem Abdul Jabbar
87. “The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine. On the basketball court, I worry about nothing. When I’m out there, no one can bother me.” – Michael Jordan
88. “Not only is there more to life than basketball, there’s a lot more to basketball than basketball.” – Phil Jackson
89. “Basketball is a game of mental toughness. It´s about being able to stay focused and not getting rattled under pressure.” – James Harden
90. “This is basketball, not figure skating. You don’t get extra points for degree of difficulty.” – Bob Hurley
BASKETBALL QUOTES
91. “I’m looking for players who make their teammates better. You do that with enthusiasm and passion.” – Mike Krzyzewski
92. “Remember that basketball is a game of habits. If you make the other guy deviate from his habits, you’ve got him.” – Bill Russell
93. “You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an opportunity to learn and to overcome adversity.” – Steve Nash
94. “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
95. “If the only reason I coached was to win basketball games, my life would be pretty shallow.” – Mike Krzyzewski
96. “It’s better to have a good player with the basketball in late game situations than to have plays.” – Rick Pitino
97. “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.” – John Wooden
BASKETBALL QUOTES
98.“The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.” – Bill Russell
99. “I´ve always felt that I could play basketball, but I just had to work a little harder than the next guy to get it done.” – Jason Kidd
100. “Players that learn the value of hard work, commitment, teamwork, and sacrifice are the ones that make their teams great” – Tom Crean
101. “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.” – Red Auerbach
102. “This is a team game and one man doesn’t win and one man doesn’t lose. In the end, the best team usually wins” – Wilt Chamberlain
103. “They said playing basketball would kill me. Well, not playing basketball was killing me.” ― Magic Johnson
BASKETBALL QUOTES
104. “The best basketball players have a keen sense of where they are on the court, and they use this awareness to anticipate where they need to be in order to be successful.” – John Calipari
105. “The beauty of coaching is growing the players from the ground up. That journey continues.” – Kobe Bryant
106. “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.” –Kobe Bryant
107. “The most important thing in basketball is to have a positive attitude and to always believe in yourself and your abilities.” – Dwight Howard
108. “I don’t complain about playing time. My job is to play so well that my coach can’t sit me.” – Shane Battier
109. “Teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one.”— Mike Krzyzewski
110. “The greatness of Michael Jordan is his competitive drive. The weakness of Michael Jordan is his competitive drive.” – Phil Jackson
BASKETBALL QUOTES
111. “The only way to be successful in basketball is to work hard, play together, and trust each other.” – Chris Paul
112. “There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does.” – Dean Smith
113. “A key basketball skill is imagery. The best players “see” situations before they happen so they can be prepared.” ― Dr. Jack Ramsay
114. “The key to being a great basketball player is to never stop learning and to always be willing to get better.” – Kobe Bryant
115. “People ask me if I could fly, I said, ‘yeah…. for a little while.” – Michael Jordan
116. “I play basketball to win a championship. That championship is everything to me. And that’s what gets people to buy in to your brand – being a winner.” — Chris Paul
117. “Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name wirtten on it” – Mike Krzyzewski
118. “The most important thing in basketball is to believe in yourself, and that´s what I try to do.” – Kevin Durant
119. “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
120. “Losing is losing. There aren’t different degrees of losing. You either win a championship or you’re shit. It’s very black and white to me.” – Kobe Bryant
121. “I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.” – Michael Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
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122. “Basketball is a game of mental toughness. It´s about being able to push through adversity and never giving up.” – Blake Griffin
123. “It’s not about the number of hours you practice, it’s about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice” – Kobe Bryant
124. “All the successful teams I’ve ever seen have three characteristics: They play unselfish, they play together, and they play hard.“ –Larry Brown
125. “Pressure works, not by stealing the ball, but by changing momentum” – Donnie Jones
126. “The key to being a great basketball player is to have a strong foundation of skills and to be constantly working on improving them.” – DeMar DeRozan
127. “Use different basketball offensive alignments to cause confusion for the other team” – Hubie Brown
128. “To win the big games you must get to the free throw line, and then you must make them” – Rick Majerus
129.“Basketball is a team game. But that doesn’t mean all five players should have the same amount of shots.” – Dean Smith
130. “The only way to get better at basketball is to put in the work and practice consistently.” – Stephen Curry
131. “There is a direct correlation between the number of ball reversals and defensive breakdowns.” ― Kevin Eastman
132. “If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.” – Michael Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
133. The greatest sin a coach can commit is to allow kids to slide by. This goes for the classroom as well as the court” – Hubie Brown
134. “I tell kids to pursue their basketball dreams, but I tell them not to let that be their only dream” – Kareem Abdul Jabbar
135. “Shooting percentage is just as much about decision making as it is about technique” – Jeff Van Gundy
136. “Basketball is a team game, and the only way to be successful is to work together and trust each other.” – Dwayne Wade
137. “Scoring 100 points is a lot, but I maybe could have scored 140 if they had played straight-up basketball.” ― Wilt Chamberlain
138. “I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody – somewhere – was practicing more than me” – Larry Bird
139. “Basketball is a game of discipline and focus. If you´re not focused and disciplined, you´re not going to be successful.” – Larry Bird
140. “It’s hard to say if the NBA is hurt by the influx of younger players, but it’s definitely impacted the league.” – Michael Jordan
141. “You need your best players to play their best when their best is needed” – Jeff van Gundy
BASKETBALL QUOTES
142. “I think the key to basketball is to have fun and enjoy the game. If you´re not having fun, then what´s the point?” – Scottie Pippen
143. “The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.” – Michael Jordan
144. “Your best players have to unite and inspire the group… otherwise, they’ll divide the group” – Jeff Van Gundy
145. “Best evaluation I can make of a player is to look in his eyes and see how scared they are.” – Michael Jordan
146. “The key to being successful in basketball is to have a strong work ethic and to never give up.” – Tim Duncan
147. “A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it because of my size. I was determined to prove those people wrong.” – Ben Wallace
148. “Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, and months, and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely a demonstration of their championship character.” – Michael Jordan
149. “Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” – Michael Jordan
BASKETBALL QUOTES
150. “In order to be successful in basketball, you have to be able to think on your feet and make quick decisions.” – Shaquille O´Neal
151. “If you’re a basketball player, you’ve got to shoot.” ― Oscar Robertson
152. “Over coaching is the worst thing you can do to a player.” – Dean Smith
153. “The two ingredients for success in basketball are playing hard and playing intelligently.” – Pete Carril
154. “The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind” – Red Auerbach
155. “If all I’m remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I’ve done a bad job with the rest of my life.” – Isiah Thomas
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