ᐅ143+ Famous Basketball Quotes of All-Time

“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

“The time when there is no one there to feel sorry for you or to cheer for you is when a player is made” – Tim Duncan

“We are unselfish and we trust each other” – Tim Duncan

“The biggest thing is getting our guys to understand, you can’t let one mistake compound into another mistake” – Thad Matta

“Working hard is one thing, but working hard with purpose is what separates the good from the great” – Thad Matta

“Don’t be afraid to let your players know how much you care about them” – Thad Matta

“Good defensive play is as much a matter of hustle, desire and pride as it is anything else” – Tex Winter

“There is no substitution for hustle, and if you don’t hustle there will be substitution” – Tex Winter

“Players act like the floor is slanted; they run downhill on fast breaks and jog uphill when getting back on defense” – Tates Locke

“Empower the people around you, from the janitor to the athletic director. You do that by being sincere, caring about others, and then putting it into practice” – Sue Gunter

“If every basketball player worked as hard as I did, I’d be out of a job” – Steve Nash

“You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an opportunity to learn and to overcome adversity” – Steve Nash

“The pick and roll is more about bodies and eyes then speed and being fast” – Steve Nash

“I know the strengths and weaknesses of my teammates. I make my passing decisions accordingly” – Steve Nash

“You create shots for yourself by what you do without the ball more than what you do after you get it” – Steve Alford

“We try to stress the little things. Because little things lead to big things” – Steve Alford

“Coaching is not what you know, but what you can get your players to do on the court” – Stan Van Gundy

“The day I stopped worrying about stats is the day I started winning” – Shaquille O’Neal

“We have the mentality of the hunter. We want to be the most enthusiastic team in the country. That’s what we can control” – Shaka Smart

“One of the hardest things for a ball player to do is to accept his role” – Scottie Pippen

“Never underestimate the heart of a champion” – Rudy Tomjanovich

“I expect to coach execution not effort” – Roy Williams

“Be led by your dreams. Not by your problems” – Roy Williams

“I recruit character as much as I recruit ability. And if you’ve built a team of character, they can handle moments that others cannot and they accept coaching on how to manage pressure” – Roy Williams

“I was taught to play the game from a total team concept. To be able to do everything reasonably well and some things extraordinarily well. If I’m not shooting well, I’ll try to be an asset in other ways – like defense, passing, rebounding, and hustle” – Rick Barry

“When you work on getting better at something, don’t do it half speed” – Ray Allen

“Love never fails. Character never Quits. And with patience and persistence, dreams do come true” – Pete Maravich

“You can run a lot of plays when your X is twice as big as the other guys’ O. It makes your X’s and O’s pretty good” – Paul Westphal

The key to any game is to use your strengths and hide your weaknesses” – Paul Westphal

“Professional coaches measure success in rings. College coaches measure success in championships. High School coaches measure success to titles. Youth coaches measure success in smiles” – Paul McAllister

“Character is huge for me. Does he care about winning or does he care about playing?” – Otis Smith

“Our conditioning program begins the first day of class. The running portion is very demanding. It has physiological advantages, as well as psychological advantages” – Norm Sloan

“I would rather have a player who has mastered two or three moves than to try to teach him six or seven” – Norm Sloan

“Help your players to control their emotions – do this through example” – Norm Sloan

“Evaluate wins and losses objectively, focusing more on effort and execution than on the outcome of the game” – Morgan Wootten