80 Basketball Phrases From The Best Players

The best players in basketball history are not remembered that way just because. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Bill Russell, Kevin Garnett, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson… great athletes who contributed, each in their time, to popularizing the sport of the basket

The best basketball quotes they left us were really impressive and inspiring and that is why today we still refer to them, because the legacy they left us will pass from generation to generation.

    Table of Contents

    Basketball phrases: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and many more

    Below we leave you with the best phrases from basketball, the NBA, the ACB and many more important leagues in the world.

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    1. There is no possible comparison with the Dream Team. (Patrick Ewing)

    The Jamaican center was clear: no other team can overshadow the American team that played in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

    2. Sometimes a player’s biggest challenge comes in relation to his role on the team. (Scottie Pippen)

    The forward, who played his best years with Jordan in the Chicago Bulls, analyzes the importance of each player’s role with respect to collective needs.

    3. I always have a ball in the car. You never know. (Hakeem Olajuwon)

    With this phrase, the African center demonstrates his infinite love for basketball.

    4. Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, you can be successful at anything you set your mind to. (Bob Cousy)

    One of the pioneers of North American basketball, about the capacity for sacrifice and effort.

    5. You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed, you’re not going to always succeed, I know that. (Lebron James)

    An active player who has changed the way of playing. In this phrase he emphasizes that success also entails small partial failures.

    6. I think someone should explain to children that it is normal to make mistakes. This is how we learn. When we compete, we make mistakes. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

    Another phrase, this time from the Angeleno center, that reminds us that the path to success is not a straight line.

    7. Leadership is fighting for a loose ball, having everyone involved, all the other players. It is being able to assume and delegate. That’s the only way you can get the respect of your peers. It is making everyone believe in you and always offering the best of yourself. (Larry Bird)

    The legendary Celtics shooter, about effort and leadership.

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    8. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. (Michael Jordan)

    The difference between individualism and teamwork.

    9. I have never thought about the consequences of missing a great shot… when you think about the consequences, you are thinking about a negative outcome. (Michael Jordan)

    The Bulls’ 23rd winning mentality was absolutely epic.

    10. You always have to be on the edge. You have to do every training session, every game, as if it were your last (Kobe Bryant)

    No one has succeeded without giving 200% of their chances.

    11. I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. 26 times they have trusted me to take the shot that won the game and I have missed it. I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I am successful. (Michael Jordan)

    Specific failures carve out a path of great success for you.

    12. You have to give 125 percent. Put your heart and soul into it; Learn to have a positive and winning attitude. Don’t accept defeat, but learn from it. (Magic Johnson)

    Another great player, Earvin Magic Johnson, gives us his vision on effort and learning.

    13. The strength of the team is in each individual member. The strength of each member is in the team. (Phil Jackson)

    The former player and coach, in another famous quote that praises teamwork.

    14. A man can be a crucial ingredient in a team, but a man cannot make a team. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

    Another reflection that places emphasis on the whole over individualities.

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    15. I have a theory that if you give 100% all the time, somehow things will work out in the end. (Larry Bird)

    Sacrifice always has a reward.

    16. I will do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a glass of water to a teammate, or hitting the winning shot. (Kobe Bryant)

    The winning mentality of the KB24 shooting guard.

    17. You must expect things from yourself before you can do them. (Michael Jordan)

    Focusing on future skills is the best way forward.

    Basketball or basketball (from the English basketball) It is a team sport in which two teams of five players compete on a parquet court. The goal of this team game is to get the ball into the rival team’s basket, a metal ring located 3.05 meters high. The height of the goal makes many of the professionals in this sport individuals of unusual height.

    Motivational basketball phrases

    We continue with more famous basketball quotes that leave a great taste in our mouths, as they highlight the value of effort and camaraderie.

    18. I have had enough success for two lifetimes together, my success is talent combined with hard work and a good dose of luck. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

    Lew Alcindor was very clear about how to achieve his goals.

    19. The most important part of the profession lies on the training court, not in the game. You get to a certain point where you have to trust the players to translate what they’ve learned into action. (Phil Jackson)

    Wise words from perhaps the best basketball coach in history.

    20. Losing balls is the prelude to a bad attack. (Antonio Díaz Miguel)

    One of the main fears of coaches: poor pass selection and tactical mismatches.

    21. Getting good players is easy. Getting them to play together is the hardest part. (Casey Stengel)

    The cohesion between basketball stars is very complex.

    22. All coaches are creative, but if you don’t have a good database you won’t get anywhere. (Gustavo Aranzana)

    The analytical aspect is essential to be an elite coach.

    23. You can’t choose how to lose, but you can choose how to recover to win next time. (Pat Riley)

    Another outstanding coach, on resilience in sport.

    24. When you reach that level, it is not a question of talent anymore, because all the players are very talented. It’s about preparation, playing smart and making good decisions. (Hakeem Olajuwon)

    The role of decisions at an elite level.

    25. I just did my job; play basketball and win rings. I was never distracted by everything around me, if it happened to others that worked in our favor. (Bill Laimbeer)

    The ‘bad boy’, with his pragmatic vision of the championship.

    26. Every hour I don’t spend in the gym I know there is someone training to take me down. (Karl Malone)

    If you don’t train hard, the opponent will have it much easier.

    27. If I had an 80% success rate in free throws, I would surely be arrogant and not someone humble. So everything has its reason for being. (Shaquille O’Neal)

    Shaq and his particular sense of humor.

    28. Just because you put a man in a suit doesn’t mean he’s a good guy. (Allen Iverson)

    Appearances can be deceiving. This phrase was uttered by the controversial shooting guard Allen Iverson.

    29. You never know what they are expecting from you, so just go out on the court and play. (Manu Ginobili)

    The Argentine guard has this interesting opinion.

    30. If you give your best, you have nothing to be ashamed of. A defeat is not a misfortune. (Dirk Nowitzki)

    The German power forward puts bad games into perspective.

    31. No one should expect more from you than, precisely, yourself. (Carmelo Anthony)

    Motivation in abundance with scoring forward Melo Anthony.

    32. Success is not an accident, success is a choice. (Stephen Curry)

    The recent MVP tells us his philosophy of life.

    33. The key lies in consistency: if you want to be a great shooter, you must always shoot the same. (Ray Allen)

    One of the best shooters reveals the key to success.

    34. I grow in the face of adversity and I have always lived with the pressure of expectations. (Pau Gasol)

    The Spanish never gives up.

    35. The biggest difference is in leadership. It was better for us. We had more coaches and mentors to help us. Many of today’s younger players suffer from a lack of direction. (Isiah Thomas)

    The legendary point guard of the Detroit Pistons spoke like this about leadership skills.

    36. Arvydas Sabonis could have died on the court, literally. I have never seen a player score with so much pressure on his back. (Don Nelson)

    The coach thus highlighted the winning mentality of the Lithuanian center.

    37. All children need is a little help, a little hope and someone to believe in them. (Magic Johnson)

    The point guard, in a memorable and tender phrase.

    38. Never underestimate the heart of a champion. (Rudy Tomjanovich)

    An inspiring phrase like few others.

    We hope you liked these basketball phrases We have made them with great love. Do you want to share any more? Write it in the comments section.

    39. There is no greater motivator on earth than yourself. (Magic Johnson)

    If you trust your possibilities, you will get ahead.

    40. Good teams become great teams when their members trust their teammates enough for “we” to prevail over “I.” (Phil Jackson)

    About camaraderie and blind trust in the team.

    41. It’s about time. Last year I played with hatred, but this year I played again with a lot of love and passion. (Lebron James)

    The resurrection of a great player.

    42. My parents are my backbone. They still are. They are the only people who will support you whether you score zero points or score forty. (Kobe Bryant)

    Regarding paternal and family love, the Angeleno escort leaves us this phrase that should be taken into account.

    43. Sex and golf are the only things where even if you are bad at it you can have a good time. (Charles Barkley)

    “Fat” Barkley always has a witty comeback.

    44. The tallest are not always the highest, the fastest are not always the first, the strongest are not always the ones who win the battle. But those who train the most, put in the most effort and believe in the team the most are the ones who will win the most times. (Pau Gasol)

    The Barcelona power forward leaves us this tremendous motivating phrase.

    45. A good result is having done your best. (John Wooden)

    One of the precursors of this sport has a phrase that rewards effort and not the result.

    46. ​​You have to dare to be great. (Kobe Bryant)

    A philosophy of life that accompanied him throughout his sporting career.

    47. Michael Jordan always said that you had to play every game as if it were the last of your career. There could be a spectator in the stands who was there to see you and only had that opportunity to do so. In this situation, it is best to follow that basic principle. (Pau Gasol)

    Gasol always listened to the advice of the great myths of American basketball.

    48. Last year I was on an earthling level, I have to go back to being the old Shaq, I have to go back to my alien roots. (Shaquille O’neal)

    Without a doubt, one of the most dominant players in the NBA for decades.

    49. Some people want something to happen, others dream about what will happen, others make it happen. (Michael Jordan)

    Only the greatest NBA superstars can change the course of sports history.

    50. If you are going to be a leader, you are not going to satisfy everyone. You have to hold people accountable. (Kobe Bryant)

    Most of the time, being a leader means making decisions that no one wants to make.

    51. I have never been afraid of big moments. I have butterflies… I get nervous and anxious, but I think those are all good signs that I am ready for the moment. (Stephen Curry)

    Curry has stood out in recent years as the best player in the tournament and best shooter in NBA history.

    52. Everyone has talent, but skill requires hard work. (Michael Jordan)

    This basketball superstar worked hard to place himself in the historical Olympus of basketball players.

    53. I want to practice to the point where it’s almost uncomfortable how fast you shoot, so that in the match things slow down. (Stephen Curry)

    Daily practice and hard work have made this player one of the most decisive in history.

    54. I don’t identify with lazy people. We do not speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you. (Kobe Bryant)

    Bryant was always a player committed to his teams and a tireless worker on and off the court.

    55. Don’t ask yourself what your colleagues can do for you. Ask yourself what you can do for your colleagues. (Magic Johnson)

    A philosophy of life that we can apply to many areas of our daily lives.

    56. If you reach the final and lose, too bad; If you don’t arrive, too bad. The only thing worth winning is, we have a competitive and ambitious team. (Pau Gasol)

    Being among the basketball elite involves great daily pressure.

    57. I have always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come sooner or later. (Michael Jordan)

    Michael Jordan is considered the greatest player of all time, something he achieved with hard work and daily commitment.

    58. Play as if you were in first class. He trains as if you were in second grade. (Stephen Curry)

    Hard work in training is also essential if you want to reach the elite of this sport.

    59. I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow. I just know for sure that I’m going to continue playing basketball. (Kevin Durant)

    Some of the best players in the NBA make a lifelong commitment to the sport.

    60. Life is too short to be sad or discouraged, smile and get on with it. (Kobe Bryant)

    We must all learn from the optimistic philosophy with which Kobe lived his day to day life.

    61. I don’t do things half-believing. I know that by doing it this way I can only expect mediocre results. (Michael Jordan)

    Jordan was committed throughout his career to sports and to the teams he played for.

    62. When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive you could say about black people. That is a terrible burden. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

    This basketball player has become over the years a true activist in favor of black rights.

    63. Be the best version of yourself in whatever you do. You don’t have to live anyone else’s story. (Stephen Curry)

    Only with great doses of ambition and the will to be the best can you be at the top of the NBA.

    64. My style has changed and evolved mainly because I have grown to be more confident in myself. (Kevin Durant)

    The Brooklyn Nets star was one of the most important players in the NBA over the last decade.

    65. Maybe my pain was my motivation. (Lebron James)

    The best NBA players manage to find motivation anywhere, even in difficult moments.

    66. Anyone who wants to be one of the greats must understand the sacrifices that come with it and try to deal with it. (Kobe Bryant)

    One of the best tips that a player can follow to succeed in the NBA.

    67. Never say never. Because limits, like fear, are often just an illusion. (Michael Jordan)

    Jordan knew how to overcome his limitations and fears, like no one else.

    68. My dream has come true now, and it is the best feeling I have ever had. (Lebron James)

    LeBron has also become a strong candidate for best player of all time in recent decades.

    69. Winning the championship would be incredible, a great dream. I don’t even want to think about the possibility of losing the final: it would be a disaster, a catastrophe. (Pau Gasol)

    This is how Gasol managed to enter the Olympus of the NBA greats, with sacrifice and commitment.

    70. If I had to defend myself I would be unable, I would go home and fake an injury. (Shaquille O’Neal)

    Some of Shaq’s phrases caused a real stir due to their comedy.

    71. Black people do not have an accurate idea of ​​their history, which has been suppressed or distorted. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

    Another of the many vindicative quotes from this great NBA player.

    72. What’s more important than who is going to be the first black coach is who is going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times (Bill Russell)

    One of the best players in NBA history and also one of the most vindictive.

    73. Step by step. I can’t imagine any other way to achieve things. (Michael Jordan)

    This is how you become the best basketball player of all time.

    74. It’s not easy being the NBA sex symbol, but someone has to take care of it. (Shaquille O’Neal)

    Shaq is without a doubt one of the most charismatic and hilarious players in all of history.

    75. The NBA suggests spectacle to me, it is the best league in the world, a myth. For me it’s a dream, but I like to think of it as a long-term goal. (Pau Gasol)

    A dream that he more than fulfilled by becoming one of the best players in the league.

    76. All the negative pressure, the challenges, the problems, are an opportunity to rise up. (Kobe Bryant)

    This is how setbacks in life should be conceived.

    77. I’m tired of people only talking to me about money, money, money, money and more money. Guys, I just want to play basketball, drink Pepsi and wear Reebok (Shaquille O’neal)

    A truly profound quote from one of the most beloved players in the league.

    78. Always turn a negative situation into a positive one (Michael Jordan)

    Jordan knew how to find his luck throughout his professional career and turn the negative into an opportunity to grow.

    79. Being a superstar means that you have reached your potential, and I believe that I have not yet reached my potential as a basketball player and as a leader. (Stephen Curry)

    This great player has not yet reached his maximum level in the NBA.

    80. Some days it will rain and on others the sun will rise, but you have to be there. (Pau Gasol)

    Through an optimistic philosophy and a lot of hard work, Pau managed to carve out a place for himself among the best in the NBA.