“I failed, I think, seven [or] eight times before I finally got my first [championship]. It was just, you know, just about me growing up. Now that I'm an old, old veteran-age 29-I do things a lot differently. I don't go to the gentlemen's clubs anymore. I had to slow that down.” ThinkingKnowsFirstsAgeWinningGrowing UpGrowingBasketballSevenClubsEightGentlemanChampionshipVeteran Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“He's just intelligent-sort of a nerd, actually. He's the only brother I know who made a 1420 on the SAT. I don't think Chris Dudley did that, and Mr. Smarty Pants went to Yale. Kobe doesn't hang out. He doesn't go to the clubs. He doesn't ride around. He doesn't put rims on his car. He's just him. He's a sophisticated kid. Damn mature for his age.” ThinkingKnowsMadeKidsAgeCarBrotherBasketballIntelligentClubsDamnSatMatureHanging OutPantsSophisticatedNerdYaleRimsLakersSmarties Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“Word has it, they think I'm an old man, and they're not gonna double me. My message is that I'm the baddest for my age bracketest. What I mean by age bracketest is that I came in at 20, I was the baddest 20, and I'm the baddest at 35.” ThinkingMenMeanAgeBasketballMessagesOld ManDouble Me Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“I'm not really worried about my numbers now as a 36-year-old. I'm not trying to be the first, experimental case of a 36-year-older trying to maintain his numbers, especially when I'm on a team like this. Can I do the same stuff I could do when I was Amare's age? Of course not. I'm not going to even try. However, I feel that I'm the baddest 36-year-old out there.” FeelsTryingYearsFirstsAgeCoursesStuffNumbersCasesTeamBasketballWorried Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“It's his show and I'm just trying to make him look good. If we were the same age there might be a little tension, but I'm on my way out... I am here to serve your every need, King James.” IfsWayNeedsTryingLooksLittlesShowsMightAgeKingsBasketballMy WayTensionNba Author:Shaquille O'Neal
“We have to move the meter in sports in Africa, especially basketball. With the growth of the NBA globally, we have to figure out more ways to develop facilities, coaching, leagues, and youth development in Africa. The talent is incredible. Especially physically. How do we get the youth to start playing at an early age just like in soccer? The future is bright. We now have an NBA office in Africa, we have legends and Hall of Famers, we have African assistant coaches, front office members, and some prominent African players over the last 10 years. So we must plan well for the next 10.” WayYearsWellsAgeLastsMovingNextSportsGrowthPlayerPlansTalentFrontsFiguresYouthDevelopmentMembersBasketballOfficeIncrediblesCoachesSoccerLeagueCoachingHallsNbaLegendsFacilityAssistantsMeterProminentFuture Is BrightFront OfficeAssistant Coaches Author:Masai Ujiri
“But basketball was always something I was good at, that I was passionate about. I just didn't have the confidence to play in front of people at the time, at that early age. Now, I feel like I'm ready to play in front of people and play on the big stage.” PeopleFeelsPlayBigsAgeStageFrontsReadyBasketballPassionate Author:Lil B
“Competition is great for everyone. Sports can teach you so much at an early age, including camaraderie and sportsmanship. Competition aspect is something I've always been big on - I always wanted to compete in something. It was swimming for many years, then I moved on to basketball. I had to find a way to channel my competitive energy, so I'm lucky that basketball worked out for me.” WayYearsBigsAgeWantedEnergySportsTeachLuckyBasketballAspectMovedCompetitionIncludingSwimmingInspirational SportsInspirational BasketballMoved OnCompetitivenessSportsmanshipCamaraderieI Moved On Author:Tim Duncan
“As a child, I was very active. I was a gymnast, I played touch football, netball and basketball. When I was 16 years old, I started yoga. I started working out at an early age.” YearsChildrenAgeFootballBasketballYogaWork OutActiveGymnastTouch Football Author:Miranda Kerr
“I wanted to do two things when I was growing up, about your age. I wanted to play in the NBA, and I wanted to be a businessman after my basketball career was over, and that is what I am doing now.” TwoPlayAgeWantedCareersGrowing UpGrowingBasketballTwo ThingsNbaBusinessmanFamous BasketballBest Basketball Author:Magic Johnson
“When I was a little kid I used to play with guys twice my age, so, I was the last one picked, so if I picked I knew that I had to get the ball to the scorer if I wanted to stay on the court, so that was pretty much my job.” IfsLittlesPlayKidsAgeWantedJobsLastsUsedGuyBasketballBallsCourtLittle Kid Author:Jason Kidd
“At a really young age you just play ball and you have fun and you don't see basketball as something as a career, it just drives you crazy. But as the years went by and the goals got bigger for myself you realize that without almost being obsessed you won't reach those goals. So the older I get I think the more I realize that it's almost necessary to get to that level.” ThinkingAgeFunGoalRealizingCrazyBasketballHaving FunObsessed Author:Kristaps Porzingis
“I was not in touch with reality. Growing up, I was being shielded without my knowing it, because even all the way up to the age of 15, I made these paper basketball men and played with them, like action figures.” MenRealityAgeActionGrowing UpBasketball Author:Willis Earl Beal
“And from the first time I picked up a basketball at age eight - I had a lot of difficulty when I first picked up a basketball, because I was a scrub - there were things that I liked about it.” InspirationalFirstsAgeBasketballFirst TimeDifficultyEight Author:Julius Erving
“The one thing I learned about myself going back and watching tapes of all the losses that we've had is that I'm physically capable of doing this and dominating the game, but the mental part was not there. I don't know if it comes with age, but I had to learn to be mentally tough.” IfsKnowsAgeGamesLossOne ThingBasketballCapableToughTapeDominatingMentally Tough Author:Lisa Leslie
“I learned at a young age to dribble with both hands, and that allows me to be more creative when I go against bigger and stronger opponents.” HandsMotivationalAgeYoungCreativeBasketballBiggerStrongerOpponentsYoung AgeNba PlayerDribble Author:Steve Nash