A Quote by Shaquille O'Neal

My father made me who I am. He gave me a basketball and told me to play with the ball, sleep with the ball, dream with the ball. Just don't take it to school. I used it as a pillow, and it never gave me a stiff neck.

Shaquille O'Neal

Quote Topics

Am Ball Basketball Dream Father Gave Just Made Me Neck Never Pillow Play School Sleep Stiff Stiff Neck Take Used Who I Am

Quote Author

Shaquille O'Neal
American - Athlete
Born: March 6, 1972

I took it upon myself to be more aggressive. I wanted the ball. Coach gave me the ball and I just tried to attack (and) make plays, just take it to the rim and see what happens.

Dwyane Wade

My father never cheated on my mother. He used to cheat on me. He used to pick other kids after school. Take them to the zoo. Take them to play ball. One day he came to me. He says, Look I got to level with you. I met another kid.

Dom Irrera

I was supposed to take the ball out. I told coach, 'There's no way I'm taking the ball out, unless I can shoot it over the backboard and it goes in. I told him, 'Have somebody else take the ball out, give me the ball, and everybody get out of the way.'

LeBron James

The ball gave me prestige, gave me fame, gave me riches. Thank you, my old friend.

Alfredo Di Stefano

Hey, Ethan." "Yeah?" "Remember the Twinkie on the bus? The one I gave you in second grade, the day we met?" "The one you found on the floor and gave me without telling me? Nice." He grinned and shot the ball. "It never really fell on the floor. I made that part up.

Kami Garcia

Yes, golf is a weird game. I was capable of dealing with moving and bouncing cricket balls, but this little silly ball, sitting on the ground, gave me quite a headache early on for few years, but taught me how to be disciplined in controlling the ball.

Brian Lara

Having more freedom to bring the ball up and have the ball in my hands, just trusting me with the ball, that was one of the big things. My rookie year, I didn't have that. Just having that trust in me, just working and them seeing that I'm getting better at it, that I'm capable, that was kind of like a changing point for me.

Pascal Siakam

When I was 11 my school held a sports day near Crystal Palace. We were told we were going to play a rugby match. The ball was eventually passed to me and I was obviously expected to run with it. I took one look at all these players charging towards me, placed the ball on the ground and walked off the pitch.

Chris Eubank Sr.

Wenger gave me the opportunity to be where I am today. He's a coach that helped me a lot, who gave me a chance, who's always been there for me in the bad moments. He called me, consoled me, gave me good advice, told me what I had to do to become a great player. I can only thank him.

Emmanuel Adebayor

A lot of the time I am told to clear the ball, kick it out, 'degager le ballon' they shout, but I can't do that and if I have to do that then it feels like a defeat for me. I don't know how to do it. I never get rid of the ball that way and when I am watching TV and I see players who do get rid of the ball then I don't accept it.

Marco Verratti

The directors told me they were going to recruit good players with whom I could play decent football. Marko Marin, Oscar and me, we like to have the ball at our feet. Juan Mata likes the ball; so does Ramires.

Eden Hazard

There is stuff going on inside me. But I have always been told to go out there and pitch like you can't tell if you just struck somebody out or just gave up a home run. If something bad happens, I don't dwell on it. Just give me the ball and let me pitch.

Drew Pomeranz

When I was 11 I was scouted by the Thames Valley under-21s. It was really daunting. I was scared for my life when I went in to bat. The first ball hit me on the leg, the second ball got me out, so it wasn't great but it made me stronger.

Isa Guha

The hardest people to play in front of are my brothers and friends from childhood, because I can never take them seriously. I know when they're sitting in the stands; it's constant jokes. They're just waiting on me to shoot an air ball or dribble the ball off my foot so they can laugh.

Jimmy Butler

I'm the type of person where, at the end of the game, if there's 10 seconds left, and you need to get somebody the ball, and you're behind by one, give me the ball. Get me the ball every single time.