Browsing Topic Best Basketball Coaching Quotes

Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Great teamwork is the only way we create the breakthroughs that define our careers.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.

I was supposed to be grateful because I one was one of the first African Americans coaching. I was supposed to sit there and say, ‘Oh, thank you Mr. White Man for giving me a job.’ God made me human and equal. Now I’m supposed to be grateful because you’re treating me equal and treating me as a human being? No.

It’s not what you teach, it’s what you emphasize.

I think that’s the stage we’re at as a team where we all, not just me, not just my teammates, not just our new coaching staff, the front office, everybody in this organization must look in the mirror because we’ve constantly come up short.

Never underestimate the heart of a champion.

Great effort springs naturally from great attitude.

Keep it simple, when you get too complex you forget the obvious.

You better have great practices.

I don’t try to get players emotionally up for a game; it creates too many peaks and valleys… I strive for even keel; they will get up for the big games.

Don’t try to imitate other coaches. Be your own person with your own style and do your own thing.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

I never let our players get satisfied, I never let our Coaches get satisfied, I was never satisfied. We can always do it better.

Deep down, your players must know you care about them. This is the most important thing. I could never get away with what I do if the players feel I didn’t care for them. They know, in the long run, I’m in their corner.

Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is willing to prepare to win.

False Hustle = cheap fouls, lunging, reaching, etc.

Do your best when no one is looking.

As coaches we talk about two things: offense and defense. There is a third phase we neglect, which is more important. It’s conversion from offense to defense and defense to offense.

Practice structure determines success.

When we’re playing a good scoring center, we tell our team that it is not our defensive man’s job to stop the center. It’s the responsibility of our perimeter people to stop the ball from going inside.

Offense at Indiana is not equal opportunity. Those players who shoot best are going to shoot most. It is important that every player know his offensive limitations. It is also important that a player know who the best shooter is on the team. When a passer has the option of passing to two players, I expect him to get the ball to the best shooter. I continually stop practice and ask players who the best shooter is and I expect them to know. It is important that you get the ball to your best shooter.

Winning is about having the whole team on the same page.

A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.

Systems win! Believe in your system, and then sell it to your players.

A great way to test the conditioning of your team is the two-mile run.

Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then you can be successful at anything you put your mind to

Morale and attitude are the fundamentals to success.

The first shot does not beat you.

Always have your players go and pick-up the guy who draws the charge.

Players who are committed to the team first will find a way to help when things are going bad, they will do whatever it takes. Kids that are more into themselves will not do that. They will take care of themselves and get more individual when things are tough.

If one of our players gets his second foul in the first half, then he must come out of the game and not re-enter until the second half. To play defense and not foul is an art that must be mastered if you are going to be successful.

The most important thing is team morale.