1.
You can't always be the most talented person in the room. But you can be the most competitive
Pat Summitt
You can't always be the most skilled individual in the room. But you can be the most determined.
2.
Admit to and make yourself accountable for mistakes. How can you improve if you're never wrong?
Pat Summitt
Acknowledge and take responsibility for errors. How can you progress if you never accept fault?
3.
Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling
Bill Belichick
'Capacity furnishes the baseline, integrity supplies the limit'.
4.
Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you.
Bill Belichick
Resilience is performing the necessary actions for the group even when they are not beneficial to oneself.
5.
It's not about any one person. You've got to get over yourself and realize that it takes a group to get this thing done
Gregg Popovich
6.
It represents a Bible verse I wear on my shoe. Philippians 4:13. It says 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' It's also my mantra, how I get up for games and why I play the way I do.
Stephen Curry
7.
I don't want to be another Jordan, Magic, or Isiah. When my career is over, I want to be able to look in the mirror and say 'I did it my way'.
Allen Iverson
I don't aspire to replicate the successes of others; when my journey is complete, I want to be able to look back and say 'I went my own route.'
8.
The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.
Bill Russell
The greatest determinant of my success in a game was how much I had enhanced the performance of my teammates.
9.
You can't force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves
Phil Jackson
Motivate individuals to modify their own behaviour instead of attempting to impose your desires.
10.
I play every game like it's my last game. All that matters is that you go out there and play every game as if it was your last.
Allen Iverson
'I approach every game as if it were my swan song. All that matters is that you give your all each and every time.'
11.
No one is bigger than the team. If you can't do things our way, you're not getting time here and we don't care who you are
Gregg Popovich
'No individual is superior to the collective. If you can't adhere to our guidelines, you won't have a place here and we don't take into consideration your status.'
12.
Champions behave like champions before they are champions
Bill Walsh
13.
Everyting negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.
Kobe Bryant
14.
It's not just about working hard, it's about working together. You have to care more about the team than you do about yourself
John Calipari
15.
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
16.
We're building a culture of accountability, trust, and togetherness. Entitlement will not be tolerated
Brad Stevens
17.
I made a lot of mistakes, a lot of things I'm not proud of. But it's only for other people to learn from.
Allen Iverson
18.
Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise
Michael Jordan
19.
You need to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player
Jon Gordon
20.
How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate
Brad Stevens
21.
We communicate all the time, even when we don't realize it. Be aware of body language
Pat Summitt
22.
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
23.
In order to achieve to achieve positive results, one must work for them, not hope for them
Bobby Knight
25.
My whole thing was, just being me. Now, you look around the NBA and all of them have tattoos, guys wearing cornrows. Now you see the police officers with the cornrows. I took a beating for those types of things.
Allen Iverson
26.
If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.
Jim Valvano
27.
So many people doubted me. They motivated me every single day, to be, who I am.
Kevin Durant
28.
It always amazes me that spectators want to coach, coaches want to officiate, and officials just want to watch the game
Lou Holtz
29.
What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.
Bill Russell
30.
The key is to maintain an evenness. Try to play one possession at a time, regardless of what happened on the last possession
Brad Stevens
31.
One of the hardest things for a ball player to do is to accept his role
Scottie Pippen
32.
There are many times when you are better off practicing than playing; but most people just don't understand that
Larry Bird
33.
NBA games are exciting to watch and have global appeal. They are very popular in China. I do watch NBA games on television when I have time.
Xi Jinping
34.
You must have respect, which is a part of love, for those under your supervision. Then they will do what you ask and more.
John Wooden
35.
Champions play as they practice. Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits.
Mike Krzyzewski
36.
When you work on getting better at something, don't do it half speed
Ray Allen
37.
You have a choice to make when you're not playing. Either you're invested and a great teammate, or your not
Brad Stevens
38.
Help one kid at a time. He'll maybe go back and help a few more.
Al McGuire
39.
You've got to stay humble and hungry. Just keep working and thank God you have a chance to play in the NBA.
John Wall
40.
If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.
Michael Jordan
41.
Long term success is a direct result of what you achieve everyday. Goals provide your daily routine
Rick Pitino
42.
You don't just be a team. You become a team. Through tough games you find that you need each other
Mike Krzyzewski
43.
This city, all they want us to be is ourselves. You love us how we are. We’re all a work in progress as men and you still love us and I thank you so much for embracing us.
Kevin Durant
44.
I've ultimately decided that I will not play this NBA season. I'm going to take the remainder of this season, as well as the upcoming off-season, to reassess my situation, spend time with my family and determine if I will play in the 2015-16 season.
Ray Allen
45.
I haven't always recruited for the best talent. I've taken a few guys who would fit for different reasons. Leadership. Toughness
Tom Izzo
46.
Desire outweighs footwork when it comes to crashing the glass
Bill Self
47.
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
48.
Whether I start or come off the bench makes no difference to me. My game has always been go as hard as I can as long as I can
John Havlicek
49.
You have to earn your right to win the game with effort and togetherness
Brad Stevens
50.
The NBA has the best point guards in the world, so it is important that I come ready to play every night.
Steve Nash