Famous LeBron James Quotes On Basketball, Success, Life & Work Ethic

LeBron's longevity isn't just due to his physical training

From high school phenom to 20+ years in the NBA, LeBron has accomplished just about everything he set out to do.

4x NBA champion, 4x MVP, 19x All-Star and the now leading scorer in NBA history to name a few of his accolades. 

LeBron's incredible longevity isn't because of luck. LeBron spends millions on his body which helps him continue to play at a high level each year.

But he also has the mindset, the mental skills to be one of the best and maintain that success for so long.

Ever since he was in high school, LeBron had the spotlight on him. With that spotlight came immense hype, pressure and expectations to be great.

Well, not only did LeBron live up to the hype and expectations, he surpassed them.

Through these quotes listed below, you'll see just how humble, determined, unselfish, and mentally great LeBron James is, which has all helped him transform into the player he is today.

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LeBron's Most Famous Quotes

A common theme in many of LeBron's famous quotes has to do with criticism. Being a high school prodigy with high expectations put a target on LeBron's back ever since he was in high school. With it came a lot of criticism.

LeBron has been criticized his entire career for countless things. He was criticized in the past for passing too much in pressure situations, he was knocked for years before winning his first ring, and he also faced a lot of backlash for leaving Cleveland to go to Miami earlier in his career.

With so many people laser-focused on every decision he made and every single performance on the court, it would have been easy for LeBron to lose confidence.

But LeBron stayed locked in and didn't let all the criticism or crazy-high expectations get to him. He stayed confident and true to himself no matter what.

In fact, the criticism and hatred fueled LeBron even more as you'll see through some of the quotes below:

"I'm just a little kid from Akron."

"You have to be able to accept failure to get better."

"There is a lot of pressure put on me, but I don't put a lot of pressure on myself. I feel if I play my game, it will take care of itself."

"People will hate you, rate you, shake you, and break you. But how strong you stand is what makes you."

"You can't be afraid to fail. It's the only way you succeed - you're not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that."

"Every night on the court I give my all, and if I'm not giving 100 percent, I criticize myself."

"I think, team first. It allows me to succeed, it allows my team to succeed."

"As a professional athlete a lot is going to be said about you - but I just try to move forward and try to achieve my goals."

"I like criticism. It makes you strong."

"Your hate makes me stronger."

"Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. How committed are you to winning? How committed are you to being a good friend? To being trustworthy? To being successful? How committed are you to being a good father, a good teammate, a good role model? There’s that moment every morning when you look in the mirror: Are you committed, or are you not?"

"I think the reason why I’m the person who I am today is because I went through those tough times when I was younger."

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Inspirational LeBron James Quotes

In the following quotes, LeBron gives you a glimpse into his mindset about his love for basketball and his desire to improve. 

Playing over 20 years in the NBA is extremely impressive, but even more than his longevity, the fact that LeBron has continued to evolve is even more impressive.

LeBron hasn't just coasted through his 20+ year career. He's continued to get better. He's continued to find ways to improve his game.

This is a testament to LeBron's work ethic. He's worked hard to stay in top shape, but he's also worked hard to improve his basketball skills and keep evolving as a player. 

"Basketball is my passion, I love it. But my family and friends mean everything to me. That's what's important."

"I never get too high on my stardom or what I can do."

"Greatness is defined by how much you want to put into what you do."

"I’m going to use all my tools, my God-given ability, and make the best life I can with it."

"I need music. It's like my heartbeat, so to speak. It keeps me going no matter what's going on - bad games, press, whatever!"

"Warren Buffet told me once and he said always follow your gut. When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with don't go back on it."

"I always say, decisions I make, I live with them. There's always ways you can correct them or ways you can do them better. At the end of the day, I live with them."

"But sports carried me away from being in a gang, or being associated with drugs. Sports was my way out."

"You know, my family and friends have never been yes-men: 'Yes, you're doing the right thing, you're always right.' No, they tell me when I'm wrong, and that's why I've been able to stay who I am and stay humble."

"Nothing is given. Everything is earned."

"Once you become a professional athlete or once you do anything well, then you’re automatically a role model…I have no problem being a role model, I love it. I have kids looking up to me and hopefully, I inspire these kids to do good thing."

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Other LeBron Basketball Quotes

In these quotes, LeBron sheds light on his ultimate motivation: winning.

Winning games, and ultimately an NBA championship, is the driving force for LeBron. It's what fuels him to keep working hard year after year.

LeBron takes winning very seriously and it's the main reason he's been so dedicated to his craft for so many years.

"I hate letting my teammates down. I know I'm not going to make every shot. Sometimes I try to make the right play, and if it results in a loss, I feel awful. I don't feel awful because I have to answer questions about it. I feel awful in that locker room because I could have done something more to help my teammates win."

"I have short goals - to get better every day, to help my teammates every day - but my only ultimate goal is to win an NBA championship. It's all that matters. I dream about it. I dream about it all the time, how it would look, how it would feel. It would be so amazing."

"Once you get on the playing field it's not about whether you're liked or not liked. All that matters is to play at a high level and do whatever it takes to help your team win. That's what it's about."

"You know, when I have a bad game, it continues to humble me and know that, you know, you still have work to do and you still have a lot of people to impress."

"I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball."

"I've always been an unselfish guy, and that's the only way I know how to play on the court and I try to play to the maximum of my ability - not only for myself but for my teammates."

"To all the positions, I just bring the determination to win. Me being an unselfish player, I think that can carry on to my teammates. When you have one of the best players on the court being unselfish, I think that transfers to the other players."

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More motivational basketball quotes:

• Kobe Bryant | Michael Jordan | Steph Curry | Kyrie Irving | Kevin Durant  | Shaq | Allen Iverson | Larry Bird | Phil Jackson | Coach John Wooden | Coach K  | Coach Pat Summitt | Coach Jim Valvano  | All