Top 1200 Playing Basketball Quotes & Sayings

I just don't want people to mistake playing basketball, playing hard with trying to hurt somebody.

I got real bored in '96. Wasn't nobody to fight. Nothing to look forward to. That's when I started playing basketball again. Had I not started playing basketball, my boxing career would have failed. But I went from a sport where nobody could touch me to another where I couldn't touch nobody.

When I was a kid, I played basketball religiously. I begged my mom to get me voice lessons because I wanted to learn to sing the right way, but at the same time, I was playing Junior Olympic basketball, and I was playing point guard for my school. But I was wanting to get into entertainment, into music and film and television.

I love basketball and I love playing it, but there will be a stage in my career when I have to hang the basketball boots up, which is why I'm more than happy to have my culture with me.

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.

I'm accustomed to playing basketball really rough. When I came into the league, I was used to fighting on the court. That's how I grew up playing basketball.

I enjoy playing at the heart of it is just a kid who really loves playing the game of basketball.

My father was always pushing me to become a basketball player. In Africa, when you're a kid, every kid loves to play soccer, and I loved playing soccer. But my dad didn't want me playing soccer. He would joke, 'C'mon, man, you're too tall!' Then he promised me, 'If you start playing basketball, I'm going to give you my jersey.'

Just because I had a good game doesn't change who I am, my identity is in Christ and not in basketball, I love playing basketball and it's my job but at the same time I recognize that I'm a sinner and that's not gonna change regardless of how well I play on the court

Every time I'm ever in L.A., if I have anytime off - which is rare - I'll go straight to the basketball court and play. That's a way for me to escape and get my mind off everything. I'm so competitive, so if I'm playing basketball, all I'm thinking about is winning.

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.

When I was coming up in high school, if you wanted to be in the musical it was during the winter, so I had to choose between playing basketball or being in the musical. And I ended up playing basketball.

A basketball was in my hands 24/7, playing one-on-one against everybody and anybody, trying to prove against the older guys, just playing. The wind blowing outside, double rims, stuff like that, just always playing ball.

I grew up playing basketball on the streets of New York City, and it was very, very rough, and I started playing in the NBA in the same way.

Basketball is about relationships. The bond that you create by playing together, going through battles together. The trust that you build goes a long way. It goes beyond the game of basketball.

I couldn't imagine not playing basketball. To me, basketball is what life is all about.

Once you get out there and start playing basketball, whether the NBA or college or whatever arena you are playing in or who you are playing in front of, the juices start going, and you want to just go out there and play to the best of your abilities.

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.

A lot of people celebrate the '80s. I was a '90s guy. The best music, and basketball, was at its high in the '90s, with all of the best players, playing the best style of basketball in that era, and Michael Jordan winning six rings in the city I grew up in.

I really want to start playing basketball. I actually bought a new basketball.

It wasn't about the money. I was just playing basketball, playing with my brother, happy being in the NBA.

I always say there's a couple things that I look at when I'm playing basketball. Do I enjoy going to the gym? Do I enjoy being in the locker room? When I get on the court do I still have that competitive fire to hate the person I'm playing against?

The natural thing in Africa is to start playing soccer at 8 or 9. You go outside and you play like kids play basketball here, and you grow a feel for the game. In Africa, the kids start playing basketball at 16 or 17 or 18, and when they get an opportunity to come here, they have been playing for only one or two years.

From my early days of playing 2:2 in basketball against my three older brothers to my years playing Division 1 college basketball and lacrosse, sports have played a big role in my leadership development.

They said playing basketball would kill me. Well, not playing basketball was killing me.

I've always been a basketball player. My earliest memories are of playing basketball. I was born playing it. It's why I'm so comfortable on the floor.

I'm a competitive type of person, whether it's playing a game of basketball or playing business games.

Playing basketball all my life, I've collected a lot of different basketball shoes. It's pretty much all I wear.

I really want to start playing basketball. Basketball and ping-pong are my two forms of exercise.

I love playing basketball because you could be having a rough day in your life, and while you're on the court it gives you a clear mind. I'm not worried about anything. I'm there just playing freely and I go out there all and I have fun.

I've always loved basketball. When you're playing pick-up basketball, you just kind of get used to being one of the guys.

People talk about the Spurs and how we do a decent job at playing basketball. But there is a deeper meaning to who we are, where we come from, and at the same time, why we play basketball.

That's my job, to motivate people. I can do more, show people more things. That's really why I play basketball. That's my whole purpose of playing basketball.

Since I started playing basketball, I had goals. I was going to do everything step by step. I'm proving it, my basketball is getting better.

I usually just speak in English when I'm on the basketball court. For some reason, my mind never even tried to cross any other language when I'm playing basketball.

The thing about playing basketball in Houston was we had a great coach, great system, and we had guys that believed in me. Once you get that belief in you, it's easy to play basketball, so, we really never had so-called role players.

For a long time, I thought I was going to play basketball. There's not many 6-4 white guys playing the three spot in the NBA, so I realized I probably didn't have much of a future in basketball and that football was probably going to be my best bet.

I know people that was playing basketball better than me. If they were in the NBA, they could be All-Stars, those people. They just never had the opportunity to go play professional basketball in Europe.

I care about systematically playing basketball. If the spacing isn't right, if guys are standing on top of each other, if there aren't lanes to be provided, or rebounders available to offensively rebound the ball, or we don't have defensive balance when a shot goes up, all of these things are fundamental basketball. I follow it.

Everyone thought I was going to die like a year later, they didn't know. So I helped educate sports, and then the world, that a man living with HIV can play basketball. He's not going to give it to anybody by playing basketball.

I'm just playing basketball. I just want to be a great player. That's it. That's all I'm thinking about. If the other stuff comes, it comes, but I'm just fortunate to play in the NBA Finals and just to play basketball, period.

I wasn't really that interested in playing. I had gone through some hard times not playing in high school, but my coach had it in his mind that basketball was the way I would get an education.

The mental strategy that goes into planning your next move and what your opponent is going to do are skills you need to be successful playing basketball - and playing 'StarCraft II.'

My city was very basketball-minded so I was born playing basketball and I didn't like playing soccer that much.

Playing unselfish basketball is a core component of our basketball culture and high assist totals are a great indicator that we are playing the right way.

I wasn't drafted. I was just playing really good basketball, enjoying playing basketball with my national team and never really thought: 'I have to get to the NBA.'

The two ingredients in success in basketball are playing hard and playing intelligently.

When you want to play basketball and you get paid for playing basketball, you want to do it every single day. So I don't think I'll get tired of doing it.

You look at the skills involved, especially with things like lateral movement or change of direction, and there's definitely a strong correlation between playing basketball and playing tight end.

I love basketball, but playing basketball doesn't fully define who I am. I was always a good student, too.

Growing up, I played about every sport imaginable except soccer and hockey. I've always had a passion for basketball. I remember actually playing basketball when I was two or three years old. The time I knew that I could really take my game to the next level.

Championship teams are built on being prepared, playing unselfishly and being held accountable, and that's how I expect to coach this basketball team. I am truly excited about this next phase of my basketball career.

I was playing basketball at Lifetime Fitness every day for two hours. Like, I played an hour of basketball before I played David Ferrer in the semi-final.

Basketball is a game and their primary reason for participating in the sport is simply for the pleasure they experience while playing. Don't be afraid to lose. Have fun while you're busy playing hard and playing smart.

Basketball also helps you learn to move your feet by playing defense and guarding guys, and that all carries over to playing football with staying square and having good footwork.

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.

I played football first. I love football. I'm a die-hard Broncos fan. I loved football, but in the offseason, I started playing basketball, and I just fell in love with the game. I've been playing basketball ever since 5th grade.

But really, I've worked my whole life to become a great basketball player. When I see that jersey go up, I'm sure I'm gonna have flashbacks to when I was 4 and 5 years old playing in my driveway because I loved it. I still love it to this day. It's been one of my first loves in life: basketball.

What am I doing, just playing basketball? It was eating at me. Because basketball, you play, you retire, you're done. I wanted to do something more.

You know how you see Chris Brown and all these guys playing basketball? Chris Brown is actually not bad so I feel like it's okay that some of these basketball players are trying to rap.