Are you looking for a great quote to inspire your team? The quotes in this page can help you get inspiration for your next game and even get your team to play their best, especially basketball quotes from your favorite players and coaches.

Famous Basketball Quotes

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.” – Magic Johnson

“Coaching is easy. Winning is the hard part.” – Elgin Baylor

“Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.” – wilt Chamberlain

“I couldn’t care less if the guy I’m guarding has HIV. I’m going to slam him anyway.” – Dennis Rodman, nicknamed as the “Worm”    and    named as the “best rebounding player” in NBA history. 

“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.”  – Larry Bird, coach, team president and basketball player. 

“I’ve had enough success for two lifetimes, my success is talent put together with hard work and luck.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds.” – Wilt Chamberlain

“As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don’t know. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be.”  – Kobe Bryant, nicknamed as the Black Mamba.

“You don’t play against opponents, you play against the game of basketball.”  – Bobby Knight

“I tell kids to pursue their basketball dreams, but I tell them to not let that be their only dream.”  – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.” – Wilt Chamberlain

“I’m tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.” – Shaquille O’Neal, player, former rapper and   analyst   on television program.

“Sometimes a player’s greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team.” – Scottie Pippen, 7 time NBA All Star, 50 greatest Player in NBA history. 

Michael Jordan Basketball Quotes

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known as MJ, is an American former professional basketball player, and majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. Nicknamed as “his Airness” and “Air Jordan” for his leaping ability as illustrated every time he slam dunks.

Michael Jordan is one of the best player in NBA and by acclamation the “Greatest Player of All Time” popularized NBA and basketball not just in America but the whole world. MJ led the Chicago Bulls to three straight championship from 1991 to 1993. He retired in 1993-1994 and then came back to play basketball and led the bulls to three championship (1996, 1997, & 1998 ) then retired again from basketball.

MJ incredible courage and athletic ability earned him the title of “MVP”, “Best Defensive Player”, “Rookie of the Year” and many other honors.  There is no doubt that MJ competitive nature is also the reason why when he play, he plays to win.

I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results – Michael Jordan

“Even when I’m old and grey, I won’t be able to play it, but I’ll still love the game.”

“I can accept failure, but I can’t accept not trying.”

“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.”

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

“The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.”

“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.”

“I’ve never been afraid to fail.”

 “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”

“People ask me if I could fly, I said, “yeah…. for a little while.”

“I’ve missed more than 9000 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.”

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

“To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.””Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

“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.””My heroes are and were my parents. I can’t see having anyone else as my heroes.”

 “There is no “I” in team but there is “I” in win.”

“I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me .

“Failure always made me try harder next time.”

John Wooden Basketball Quotes

John Wooden is the first person in the history of NBA ever enshrined as the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a coach (1973) and as a player (1961)

“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.”

“What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player.”

“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

Inspirational Basketball Quotes

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls Coach

“If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.” – Phil Jackson

“If you are afraid of failure you don’t deserve to be successful!” – Julius Erving

“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.” – Shaquille O’Neal

“Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God’s way to say nobody’s perfect.” – Kobe Bryant

“Everything negative — pressure, challenges — are all an opportunity for me to rise.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“I think someone should explain to the child that it’s ok to make mistakes. That’s how we learn. When we compete, we make mistakes.” – Larry Bird

“You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.” – Larry Bird

“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

“Push yourself again and again. Don’t give an inch until the final buzzer sounds.” – Jerry West

“I’ve got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end.” – Kevin Johnson

“One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals.” – James Naismith

“Boards, Boards, Boards.” – Knute Rockne

“If you are going to take it to the bank, then you better cash it in.” – Shannon Fish

“My responsibility is getting all my players playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back.” – Source Unknown

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.”
— Tim Duncan

“A tough day at the office is even tougher when your OFFICE contains spectator seating.” – Nik Posa

“There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket.” – Abe Lemons

“We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors.” – Weldon Drew

“Left hand, right hand, it doesn’t matter. I’m amphibious.”
— Charles Shackleford

Quotes About Basketball

For most people, basketball is just another ball game. However, enthusiast and people serious about the sports believe that basketball is the reason they live every day. Whatever your views about basketball, you will certainly get intrigue and inspired with quotes about basketball.

“A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That’s how I want you to play.” – Coach K

“This is the second most exciting indoor sport, and the other one shouldn’t have spectators.” – Dick Vertleib

“Basketball doesn’t build character it reveals it.” – Author Unknown

“Basketball is like photography, if you don’t focus, all you have is the negative.” – Dan Frisby

“If the NBA were on channel 5 and a bunch of frogs making love were on channel 4, I’d watch the frogs, even if they were coming in fuzzy.” – Bobby Knight

“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

“Any American boy can be a basketball star if he grows up, up, up.” – Bill Vaughn

“A lot of late nights in the gym, a lot of early mornings, especially when your friends are going out, you’re going to the gym, those are the sacrifices that you have to make if you want to be an NBA basketball player.” – Jason Kidd

“Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group. It enhances everybody.” – Kareem Abdul- Jabbar

“I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that I’m built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting sport for me to play.” – Julius Irving

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

“Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.” – Larry Bird

“My greatest gift that I have in life is basketball.” –  Isiah Thomas