“As soon as you try to describe a close friendship, it loses something.”
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Famous Dean Smith Quotes
“If you treat every situation as a life and death matter, you'll die a lot of times.”
“What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.”
“Good people are happy when something good happens to someone else.”
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
“Only praise behavior that you want to be repeated. Never use false praise.”
“Always have your players go and pick-up the guy who draws the charge.”
“Everyone on the bench stands for the man coming out of the game.”
“The best way to build team chemistry is the way Rupp used to substitute, when they fouled out.”
“I only use statistics to reinforce what I already think, or if it's something unusual.”
“Basketball is a beautiful game when the five players on the court play with one heartbeat.”
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
“I always mean what I say, but I don't always say what I'm thinking.”
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
“A lion never roars after a kill.”
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
“The most important thing in good leadership is truly caring.”
Source: The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
“I do believe in praising that which deserves to be praised.”
Source: A Coach's Life: My 40 Years in College Basketball
“You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.”
“There is a point in every contest when sitting on the sidelines is not an option.”
“I'd never get elected if people in North Carolina realized how liberal I am.”
“I know a lawyer who'd love to retire and be an assistant coach. I mean, it's fun.”