Quotessence
Home / Authors / Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson

Avery Johnson Quotes

Basketball player

Filter quotes by topic

AllCoachesNbaMenPlayerWantChallengesMindPeopleThinkingWanted

Famous Avery Johnson Quotes

“Growing up in New Orleans, my mom and dad were churchgoers. I would go to church with them. Also, I was going to a Catholic school so I had a fascination with the Catholic Church mainly because, in my mind, (their services) didn't take as long. I was bouncing in between my mom's Baptist church, which was called Second Zion Baptist, and going to a Catholic Church.”

MindLongSchoolChurchGrowing UpGrowingMomDadCatholicMy MomNew OrleansFascinationCatholic ChurchBaptistsMom And DadCatholic SchoolZion
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“In 1989 at Greater Saint Steven Full Gospel Church, I gave my life to Christ. That's pretty much where it all started for me. I was 23 years old at the time, right after my first year in the NBA. The pastor preached a message about being fully committed. That pretty much was me. I wasn't fully committed. I was kind of in and out all of the time. So I just wanted to make a commitment.”

YearsFirstsKindWantedPastChristChurchGreaterMessagesCommitmentSaintCommittedNbaPastor
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“I thought I would make it (to the NBA). I believed that I would make it. But I had a Plan B. I was going to get my Master's degree at Tulane University had it not worked out. I think the pressure of making it wasn't on me as great as some other players that had no other options. I was going to do something special in life and I wanted to play in the NBA. I had a backup plan but I went full speed ahead with my Plan A.”

ThinkingPlayWantedPlayerPlansSpecialMastersDegreesPressureUniversitySpeedNbaSomething SpecialBackupPlan BBackup Plan
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was really fortunate. God really blessed me in terms of my health. ... I was really healthy. But I tried to do my part in terms of preparation, in terms of perseverance. I tried to do my part to make sure that I was always ready to play and try to stay ahead of the game. I tried to beat people with my mind. I wasn't the biggest or the one that jumped the highest, but I had a real high basketball IQ and I knew it. ... I was a student of game and tried to prepare and be professional and have a good attitude. All of those things helped me have a long career.”

PeopleTryingMindBelieveLongRealPlayGamesTermAttitudeCareersStudentsReadyHealthyBasketballHighestBeatsBlessedLuckPerseveranceDon't BelievePreparationFortunateGood AttitudeLong CareersAhead Of The Game
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“I'm passionate about coaching and being able to mentor young men in a lot of different ways. I think it's good to be able to do what you love to do. It's been in me since the beginning. I was telling my college coach what to do and he trusted me. When I got into the NBA, I started having conversations with coaches. Coach Gregg Popp(avich) brought a lot out in me. Coach Don Nelson gave me an incredible opportunity to spend some time with him and he molded me but at the same time allowed me to be myself.”

ThinkingMenWayDifferentAbleYoungOpportunityCollegeConversationIncrediblesPassionateCoachesDifferent WaysYoung ManCoachingNbaTrustedMentorWhat You LoveNelson
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“There are a lot of things that make players really good coaches. Whether you've played in the NBA or not, there are certain things you have to master and be really good at. They just have to be gifted in these areas. You've got to be competent. Secondly, you've got to be able to communicate. You can have a picture in your mind on how to score but if you can't communicate it, if you can't teach it, what good is it? You've got to be brutally honest and be a man of strong character and then you've got to have class. They've got to respect you.”

IfsMenMindCharacterAbleCertainStrongClassTeachPlayerHonestMastersAreasCommunicateCoachesScoreNbaGiftedBe A ManCompetentStrong CharacterBrutally HonestGood Coaches
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“My standards are so high because of who I serve but it doesn't put any water on my fire for winning. I'm still an intense person. You can be intense and saved. You can compete and still be saved. You can challenge a guy and still be saved. There was nothing soft about me as a player and there isn't anything soft about me as a coach. You want to be a man of integrity and you want the players to know that you care about them. Whether or not they still like you or not is a whole other deal.”

KnowsMenWantPersonsStillsWholeCareGuyWinningWaterChallengesDealsFirePlayerLike YouIntegrityStandardsCoachesSavedIntenseBe A ManMan Of Integrity
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image

“People really don't care, in some ways, that you have a family. With a high profile job like I have, they just want you to win basketball games. You can do that and still keep your family together. I try the best I can to be at the basketball practices or tennis practices or recitals. In my first year at Dallas my (then 11-year old) son Avery Jr., said, "You know daddy, you're still the best coach in the NBA." I was like, "But I haven't won a playoff game yet." And he said, "That's okay. You're still my daddy." That makes you feel good.”

PeopleKnowsWayWantFeelsTryingYearsFirstsSaidStillsI CanCareTogetherJobsGamesWinningCan DoPracticeHavensSonBasketballOkayDon't CareCoachesFeel GoodOur FamilyTennisNbaDaddyProfileDallasPlayoffsMake You Feel GoodBasketball GameHigh ProfileFamily TogetherBest CoachesRecitalsPlayoff Games
Author:Avery Johnson
Create image