Quotes on Basketball

There can only be one state of mind as you approach any profound test; total concentration, a spirit of togetherness, and strength.

To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.

Confidence allows you to progress in something you're attempting to accomplish, whether it's playing basketball or baseball or whether it's trying to succeed in business.

No player in the NBA was born wanting to play basketball. The desire to play ball or to read must be planted. The last 25 years of research show that reading aloud to a child is the oldest, cheapest and must successful method of instilling that desire. Shooting baskets with a child creates a basketball player; reading to a child creates a reader.

Winning games, titles and championships isn't all it's cracked up to be, but getting there, the journey, is a lot more than it's cracked up to be.

I believe it’s impossible to claim you have taught, when there are students who have not learned. With that commitment, from my first year as an English teacher until my last as UCLA basketball teacher/coach, I was determined to make the effort to become the best teacher I could possibly be, not for my sake, but for all those who were placed under my supervision.

You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an opportunity to learn and to overcome adversity

It always amazes me that spectators want to coach, coaches want to officiate, and officials just want to watch the game

It's not about the number of hours you practice, it's about the number of hours your mind is present during the practice

Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you.

You can easily separate 'team guys' from 'me guys' by how they accept coaching. The guys that accept it are about winning

Set higher standards for your own performance than anyone else around you, and your only competition will be with yourself

Great players and great teams want to be driven. They want to be pushed to the edge. They don't want to be cheated. Ordinary players and average teams want it to be easy

We communicate all the time, even when we don't realize it. Be aware of body language

Effort is fully replenishable. There is no need to save any of it. Leave every bit you have on the playing field

Coaches win practices, players win games

In developing teams, I don't believe in rules. I believe in standards. Rules don't promote teamwork, standards do

Success doesn't stop when you get there

The best competition I have is against myself to become better

My philosophy of defense is to keep the pressure on an opponent until you get to his emotions

The more concerned we become over the things we can't control, the less we will do with the things we can control