Basketball was invented by James Naismith who was a physical educator, on or about December 1, 1891.
It is a game played between two teams on a rectangular court. Each team contains five players. Basketball is usually an indoor game. In basketball, each team tries to put the ball in the opponent’s basket, If they succeed in doing so they get some score. This is one of the most played sports all around the world.
Basketball is a dynamic sport, it builds stamina. The game consists of different movements such as jumping to take a shot or catching a rebound. It involves continuous muscle contractions. This builds stamina in the muscles.
Here we have shared some motivational quotes on Basketball which were said by many experts, who were associated with it or who are still associated with it and who know about this game closely.
Best Basketball Quotes
Find here some inspirational quotes about basketball to motivate yourself.
1. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” ― Phil Jackson
2. “Basketball is a game with winners and losers, but if you play this game with your heart, you’re always a winner.” ― C.M.
3. “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.” ― Hunter S. Thompson
4. “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
5. “I play basketball to win a championship. That championship is everything to me. And that’s what gets people to buy into your brand – is a winner.” ― Chris Paul
6. “When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.” ― Michael Jordan
7. “I’m a basketball player. That’s what I do and what I love but that’s just not all who I am. I’m talented in a lot of different areas.” ― Kevin Durant
8. “Just like in life, when you play basketball, you have to give in order to receive. On the court, you’re not only making things move along by giving the ball, but you’re also giving your physical and mental strength, your passion, your talent, your trust in your teammates. This way the power can multiply and the whole team wins.” ― Vlade Divac
9. “I think I was a good student because I jumped over a school. My main interest was basically history and literature. Sports were basically basketball and swimming at a pool. I was so happy.” ― Shimon Peres
10. “It was my mom who pushed me. My mom actually pushed my dad to train me. My dad knows what it takes to play at this level and be a really good basketball player, and he just wanted me to make the choice for myself.” ― RJ Barrett
11. “I think I started learning lessons about being a good person long before I ever knew what basketball was. And that starts in the home, it starts with the parental influence.” ― Julius Erving
12. “Basketball is my passion, I love it. But my family and friends mean everything to me. That’s what’s important. I need my phone so I can keep in contact with them at all times.” ― LeBron James
13. “Whatever I lack in size and strength and speed, I kind of makeup for in being grittier. When it comes to something like basketball I’m definitely not the best guy on the court, but I love elbowing and pushing people out or boxing them out.” ― Steven Yeun
14. “February is always a bad month for TV sports. Football is gone, basketball is plodding along in the annual midseason doldrums, and baseball is not even mentioned.” ― Hunter S. Thompson
Motivational Basketball Quotes
15. “I can’t put this down. I’m reading it in Spanish but I am still having English lessons. It is a motivational book about basketball legend Michael Jordan. His determination was inspiring. It helps me focus and drives me on.” ― Bojan Krkic
16. “I’m not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court.” ― Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
17. “He and I don’t know each other like that. We know each other as strictly basketball. A lot of people on the outside don’t understand that because people think we have a relationship like every other father and son. We just don’t. That’s because he’s been gone my whole life, and that’s fine.” ― Austin Rivers
18. “I leave work by 6:30 P.M. so I can spend some time with the children. Inevitably, we’ll end up watching basketball or football. I live in a house of boys, and they’re all sports-mad, so I don’t stand a chance.” ― Aerin Lauder
19. “I really do miss playing basketball. I don’t play a lot of pick-up games. But I do like using basketball as a form of cross-training.” ― Jackie Joyner-Kersee
20. “Playing in the playoffs is the best basketball in the world, and if you can learn under that pressure, succeed under that pressure, it gives you more confidence the next year.” ― Tony Parker
21. “Baseball happens to be a game of cumulative tension but football, basketball, and hockey are played with hand grenades and machine guns.” ― John Leonard
22. “Something I like to do a lot is just sat by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t fish, I don’t hunt, I don’t scuba, I don’t spear, don’t boat, don’t play basketball or football – I excel at staring into space. I’m really good at that.” ― Iggy Pop
23. “My whole life, people have doubted me. My mom did. People told me in high school I’m too short and not fast enough to play basketball. They didn’t know my story. Because if they did, they’d know that anything is possible.” ― Jimmy Butler
24. “No guy on the basketball court is a threat to score with LeBron James out there. Not only will LeBron dominate from the offensive end as well, but he’s also doing it on the defensive end, which really makes him the complete package.” ― Scottie Pippen
25. “What’s the reason I’m playing basketball? I do it because I love it, I do it because of my family, and that’s it, I don’t do it because of the money, I don’t do it because of the fame. I just do it because I love it, and I do it for my family because my family enjoys it.” ― Giannis Antetokounmpo
26. “I was actually supposed to be a basketball player, not an actress. My parents had me playing basketball on competitive teams when I was in kindergarten. Even though my heart belongs to the arts, I’m a tomboy at heart, too.” ― Zendaya
27. “I tried golf for a while, but I wasn’t very good at it, so I didn’t play a lot of golf. I enjoy all sports, not just football, I like basketball, baseball, and I got into the World Cup. So really, sports, in general, are my life, and football specifically.” ― John Madden
28. “When I’m done playing basketball, I want to do something bigger. I’m working on my doctorate right now at Barry University in Florida.” ― Shaquille O’Neal
29. “I played Little League baseball, but I also played basketball. Basketball was my primary sport. When you play basketball seriously, a lot of times, through the summer season, you continue playing. So that replaced me playing baseball.” ― Chadwick Boseman
30. “In my first film, I was a basketball player. Like every good actor, I lied when they asked me if I could play.” ― David Morse
Inspirational Basketball Quotes
31. “The best players I have seen and known have confidence in their teammates. They know that basketball’s not a one-man game. That confidence brings out the best in everybody because it’s contagious.” ― Jack Ramsay
32. “Football was really my least favorite sport and the last sport that I ended up picking up as a kid. My dad started me off with baseball, which most kids did at that time. I really enjoyed basketball. That was my favorite sport.” ― Tony Dungy
33. “Basketball is like the war in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it always takes a while for the defense to catch up.” ― Red Auerbach
34. “I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you’re doing. You have to be a salesman, and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you’re trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.” ― Phil Jackson
35. “I don’t play basketball for the money; it was the last thing I thought of when I was a little kid.” ― Zion Williamson
36. “I am sure that no man can derive more pleasure from money or power than I do from seeing a pair of basketball goals in some out of the way place.” ― James Naismith
37. “My life had no meaning at all. I found only brief interludes of satisfaction. It was like my whole life had been about my whole basketball career.” ― Pete Maravich
38. “I just go out there and play basketball. I’m not worried about missing. I just got to be thinking about the next shot.” ― Jamal Murray
39. “Every memory I had growing up was involving a basketball. I didn’t go to the prom and stuff like that. It was always basketball for me.” ― Kevin Durant
40. “Growing up, I looked up to major league baseball players, and now these young women have amazing, incredible women all across the board, from swimming to gymnastics to softball to basketball.” ― Jennie Finch
41. “I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my sports on the streets and in school when I was growing up. I didn’t even start playing basketball until I was 14.” ― Earl Monroe
42. “I look at a basketball laying on the ground, and it makes me think of something. Popcorn ball. How ’bout a spicy popcorn ball? That is how my mind is always working.” ― Guy Fieri
43. “Basketball is a lifelong game. You continue to learn from the game day in and day out, and all along the way, you get better.” ― Scottie Pippen
44. “I was really active athletically, definitely, I was a hurdler, a sprinter, I played basketball for years. I was a serious athlete.” ― Johnny Mathis
45. “Basketball is a simple game. Your goal is penetration, get the ball close to the basket, and there are three ways to do that. Pass, dribble and offensive rebound.” ― Phil Jackson
Short Basketball Quotes for motivation
46. “I’m a better and more educated person because of basketball.” ― Lisa Leslie
47. “My focus is basketball, and that’s it.” ― Kyrie Irving
48. “Your limits are somewhere up there, waiting for you to reach beyond infinity.” ― Arnold Henry
49. “I like sports, and I enjoy playing basketball and lifting weights.” ― Joel Osteen
50. “You don’t play against opponents, you play against the game of basketball.” ― Bobby Knight
51. “Seattle deserves a team. They got robbed of their basketball team.” ― Gary Payton
52. “I like playing many other sports, such as basketball.” ― Guan Tianlang
53. “I played basketball to try to get my parents from working so hard.” ― James Worthy
54. “Most of the basketball is in the mind. But it helps to have big hands.” ― Scottie Pippen
55. “Wrestling isn’t looked upon as the other sports of football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.” ― Bruno Sammartino
56. “I played basketball and soccer my freshman year in high school.” ― Mia Hamm
57. “I’m not a role model… Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.” ― Charles Barkley
58. “I’m just an all-around cool guy that played basketball.” ― Nick Young
59. “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.” ― Isaiah Thomas
60. “We can have no progress without change, whether it be basketball or anything else.” ― John Wooden
61. “The game of basketball is full of runs.” ― Andrew Wiggins
62. “I believe the only muscles you need in basketball are the ones in your brain.” ― Nikola Jokic
Basketball Coaching Quotes by Famous Coaches
63. “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.” ― Mike Krzyzewski
64. “To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.” ― Mike Krzyzewski
65. “Leadership is an ever-evolving position.” ― Mike Krzyzewski
66. “Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching, I’ve learned from making mistakes.” ― Rick Pitino
67. “He knew I enjoyed the relationships of college basketball. All along, he was the wise one.” ― Rick Pitino
68. “People want to see how we get teams to come together so quickly. They want to see how we get young guys to play so hard and so unselfish. I’m fine with that. I have no problem sharing that.” ― John Calipari
69. “Everybody wants to say that Kentucky fans are vicious or obnoxious. They’re not. They’re crazy in that they watch the tape of our games more than I do. But they’re passionate and smart.” ― John Calipari
70. “You don’t play extra guys just to play them. You play ’em because they can help you in some way.” ― Jim Boeheim
71. “I don’t love playing zone all the time because it does have an effect on your offense.” ― Jim Boeheim
72. “You’re not a loser in anything until you quit. Don’t quit.” ― Kelvin Sampson
73. “Tough teams win when the shots are not going.” ― Kelvin Sampson
74. “Sometimes the harder you work, the more likely you are to maybe break a rule.” ― Kelvin Sampson
75. “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” ― John Wooden
76. “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” ― John Wooden
77. “Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” ― John Wooden
78. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ― John Wooden
79. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” ― John Wooden
Basketball Quotes for being successful
If you want to be successful in the basketball game, then the below basketball quotes may help you.
80. “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.” ― Michael Jordan
81. “Basketball requires discipline. So does writing. Basketball requires practice. So does writing. Basketball requires resilience. So does writing.” ― Angie Thomas
82. “If you want to be a better player, you have to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more.” ― Kobe Bryant
83. “Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player.” ― Bill Gates
84. “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” ― John Wooden
85. “Everyone has the fire, but the champions know when to ignite the spark.” ― Amit Ray
86. “Like you might love watching basketball, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll get on the court.” ― Lil Baby
87. “I tell kids to pursue their basketball dreams, but I tell them to not let that be their only dream.” ― Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
88. “I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow. I just know for sure I’m going to keep playing basketball.” ― Kevin Durant
89. “To be successful in anything, you have to have a passion for it, and that leads to being enthusiastic and demanding. I didn’t have it for history. So I wouldn’t have been a good teacher in that area. But I had it for basketball. And that’s what coaching is at every level: it’s about teaching.” ― Jeff Van Gundy
90. “If you want to look good in front of thousands then you have to outwork thousands in front of nobody.” ― Damian Lillard
91. “It is not over. Champions extend their limits and make things happen.” ― Amit Ray
92. “Champions never sleep, the eternal spirit keep them alert and awake.” ― Amit Ray
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