12 Best Basketball Quotes to Motivate You for the Next Season

The next basketball season is just around the corner. Whether you’re a casual player or an aspiring professional, staying motivated and focused on your game is essential. The best basketball quotes can be a great way to keep your spirits high when things get tough.

So, as you’re preparing your basketball things for the next season, check out these 12 best basketball quotes that will motivate you to play your best.

If you’re a coach, you can use these quotes as basketball player gifts to encourage your players to play their best. These quotes can be great as a basketball present for your kids if you’re a parent.

Best Basketball Quotes

Let’s start with these 12 best basketball quotes that will motivate you to play your best.

Quote 1

“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.

Meaning

Basketball is a game that requires both physical and mental strength. It’s not just about your physical ability but also about your mental capacity to stay focused on the court and get better every time you play. If you want to be good at basketball, you must have a passion for playing the sport.

Quote 2

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

Meaning

This quote by Magic Johnson is about setting aside your ego and putting the team before yourself. It’s about having a selfless attitude to improve as a whole. When you’re on a basketball team, it’s essential to realize that you won’t always have the best stats or score the most points—but if you work together with your teammates, anything is possible.

Quote 3

“There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either.” — Michael Jordan.

Meaning

This quote by Michael Jordan is about being humble and having a work ethic. It’s also about accepting that no one is perfect and that everyone has flaws. To be successful, it’s vital to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on them, so they don’t hinder you.

Quote 4

“Everything negative — pressure, challenges — are all an opportunity for me to rise.” — Kobe Bryant.

Meaning

This quote by Kobe Bryant is about being able to rise above any challenges that come your way. Whether it’s pressure from fans or teammates, Kobe always succeeds and helps his team win. He’s one of the greatest players in the NBA because he knows how to deal with pressure and turn it into a positive thing.

Quote 5

“Discipline is doing what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and doing it that way all the time.” — Bob Knight.

Meaning

This quote by Bob Knight is about being disciplined in whatever you do. He says that if you don’t have discipline, then nothing else matters. If you can’t follow through on a project or task even though it needs to be done, there’s no point in starting it.

Quote 6

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

Meaning

This quote by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is about being a team player. He says talented players will give up their achievements if it means helping their team win more games. If you’re only focused on getting your stats, then you won’t be able to contribute anything to the team, and they will lose.

Quote 7

“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.” — Michael Jordan.

Meaning

Basketball can be challenging. Michael Jordan says you should never give up when facing a challenge. If you run into a wall, don’t just turn around and go home. Figure out how to climb over it, go through it, or work around it. You can still achieve your goals even if they seem impossible at first glance.

Quote 8

“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.” — Michael Jordan.

Meaning

Michael Jordan says that when playing a game, try not to think about what might happen after it. If you think about the result, like how many points your team will score or where they will place in the playoffs, you’ve lost focus on the task. Don’t get distracted by all the things that could go wrong or right; play hard and be present in each moment.

Quote 9

“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.

Meaning

Larry Bird knows that if he doesn’t keep changing and improving, he will become a thing of the past. If you’re always playing it safe and coasting by with what you already know, nobody will remember who you are or what you’ve accomplished.

Quote 10

“Create unselfishness as the most important team attribute.” — Bill Russell.

Meaning

Selfishness is the bane of all teams and can be incredibly destructive. If your team has a culture of selfishness, then everyone will look out for themselves instead of doing what’s best for the group. So Bill Russell emphasizes making unselfishness one of your most crucial team attributes: if you want to win, you must sacrifice your own needs to meet those of others.

Quote 11

“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.

Meaning

If you want to be good at basketball, you must keep learning. You can always continue learning, or else your game will fall apart. The same is true for any other skill: If you expect to succeed in life, you must keep learning new things. This is especially true for teams trying to become better than their competitors: if they stop improving themselves and settle for what they already know how to do, they’ll never be able to win against more skilled opponents.

Quote 12

“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does.” — Dean Smith.

Meaning

In basketball and life, there are many things you don’t have control over, including the other team’s players, the referee’s calls, and whether your team has an excellent coach. But if you want to succeed at any level of competition (especially if you’re going to become better than everyone else), then you need to fight harder than anyone else on the court.

Conclusion:

Using the best basketball quotes above will help you achieve your goals and become a better player. Whether you’re trying to win a championship or improve your game, these quotes will motivate you to keep working hard and have fun doing it.You can also send them as a basketball gift to a friend or colleague who loves the game. The key to success is to find a quote that speaks to you and use it as inspiration when you’re feeling down.