70 Short Basketball Quotes From Players And Coaches

Inspirational basketball quotes that are short and sweet:

Here is a collection of 70 of the best motivational basketball quotes that are short, but powerful. Learn from some of the most iconic basketball players and coaches from the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA levels.

Gain insight from these successful basketball players and coaches about topics like success, failure, adversity, self-confidence, work ethic, attitude and more.

Whether you play basketball, coach, or are a fan of the game, these short quotes will give you inspiration and wisdom about basketball and life.

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Short Basketball Quotes To Inspire You

1. "Don't give up. Don't ever give up." - Coach Jimmy Valvano

2. "Anything is possible!" - Kevin Garnett

3. "If you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will." - Kobe Bryant

4. "The key to success is failure." - Michael Jordan

5. "The only person who can really motivate you is you." - Shaquille O'Neal

6. "Adversity reveals and it builds character." - Candace Parker

7. "Your hate makes me stronger." - LeBron James

8. "If you don’t fall how are you going to know what getting up is like." - Steph Curry

9. "Being close ain't good enough." - Chris Paul

10. "Every great team has had to fail at some point in order to be successful." - Sue Bird

11. "I think I can help others just by my example." - Coach Pat Summitt

12. "If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear." - Kobe Bryant

13. “Earn the right to be proud and confident.” - Coach John Wooden

14. "I hate to lose more than I like to win." - Larry Bird

15. "Your problems never cease. They just change." - Phil Jackson

16. "When you work hard, good things happen." - Allen Iverson

17. “I own the guy guarding me.” - Michael Jordan

18. "No one is going to stop you from being yourself but yourself." - Kyrie Irving

19. "I never worry about the problem. I worry about the solution." - Shaquille O'Neal

20. "With everything I do, I just try to be myself." - Kevin Durant

21. “Two are better than one if two act as one.” - Mike Krzyzewski

22. "I don’t believe in luck, I believe in preparation." - Bob Knight

23. “It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.” - Coach John Wooden

24. "I see myself as a student. Trying to learn everything." - Giannis Antetokounmpo

25. "We're not all supposed to think alike." - Charles Barkley

26. "The only important statistic is the final score." - Bill Russell

27. "I strive on pressure." - Magic Johnson

28. "You can't win unless you learn how to lose." - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

29. "I don't let the pressure get to me. I embrace it and use it as motivation." - Luka Doncic

30. "Great effort springs naturally from great attitude." - Pat Riley

31. "Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try." - Michael Jordan

32. "You have to be able to accept failure to get better." - LeBron James

33. "It’s not about proving them wrong. It’s about proving myself right." - Jimmy Butler

34. "I'm not afraid of anything." - Jayson Tatum

35. "Despite the fear, finish the job." - Kobe Bryant

36. "Never let fear hold you back from pursuing your dreams." - Candace Parker

37. "Always stay true to yourself. Some people will like it, some people won't. Life goes on." - Carmelo Anthony

38. "It's a collective effort." - Nikola Jokic

39. “Winners are not born, they are self-made.” - Coach Pat Summitt

40. "It comes down to preparation." - Damian Lillard

41. "Be yourself. It's the most important part of anything that you do." - Russell Westbrook

42. "I don't play to sweat, I play to win." - Kevin Garnett

43. "Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion." - Michael Jordan

44. "The most important thing is team morale." - Dean Smith

45. “If I am through learning, I am through.” - Coach John Wooden

46. "With the absence of pressure, it’s hard to do great things." - Geno Auriemma

47. "I just hope to make a difference." - Tim Duncan

48. "If you have a dream, chase it no matter what it takes." - James Harden

49. "My confidence level never varies." - Trae Young

50. "Everything is habit forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing." - Wilt Chamberlain

51. "I wouldn't limit myself to nothing. I feel like I am limitless." - Devin Booker

52. "I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball." - LeBron James

53. "I never let anybody else put limits on my game." - Ja Morant

54. "Make it happen.” - Michael Jordan

55. "No matter what, no matter how I feel, I always bring effort." - Draymond Green

56. "Most of basketball is in the mind. But it helps to have big hands." - Scottie Pippen

57. "I got the 'sky's the limit' tattoo, so it's for sure that." - Lamelo Ball

58. “Make each day your masterpiece.” - Coach John Wooden

59. "Trust The Process." - Joel Embiid

60. "Winning is motivation." - Kawhi Leonard

61. "I don't care if I miss 100 shots in a row. I'm never gonna stop shooting the ball." - Klay Thompson

62. "My belief is stronger than your doubt." - Dwyane Wade

63. "When I set a goal, I work hard to achieve it." - Lisa Leslie

64. “Hard work breeds self-respect.” - Coach Pat Summitt

65. "Heart is what separates the good from the great." - Michael Jordan

66. "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." - Coach John Wooden

67. "The measure of who we are is how we react to something that doesn't go our way." - Gregg Popovich

68. "Do the little things right to reach the big goals." - Tom Izzo

69. "I am because we are." - Doc Rivers

70. "The best teams play for each other, not with each other." - Jeff Van Gundy 

More motivational basketball quotes:

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