Basketball Coaching Quotes for Players, Coaches and Fans

Basketball Coaching Quotes — If you’re coaching a basketball team, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Learn from some of the other great coaches – both past and present – to understand some of the key points to teaching basketball.

Check out the collection of quotes below – mostly from basketball coaches – and see if you can find a nugget or two to apply to your program.

Best Basketball Coach Quotes

We try to stress the little things because little things lead to big things.
Steve Alford

Criticize on defense and encourage on offense.
John Brady

Always acknowledge hustle plays in practice.
Lou Campanelli

Coaching doesn’t start with Xs and Os. It starts with believing that players win games and coaches win players.
Bill Courtney

Never let fundamentals and building skills take a backseat to game planning. Game plans win games. Fundamentals win championships.
Tom Crean

Good Basketball Coaching Quotes

Hearing improves with praise!
Mark Gottfried

I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you’re doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you’re trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.
Phil Jackson

If I was given eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend seven hours sharpening my axe.
Abraham Lincoln

Your program must have an overriding purpose that is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning.
Don Meyer

You build your program from the ideas of great coaches.
Don Meyer

Praise behavior that you want to be repeated.
Dean Smith

Basketball Coaching Sayings

The most important thing is team morale.
Dean Smith

Confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed.
Pat Summit

The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.
Mark Van Doren

I am not a strategic coach; I am a practice coach.
John Wooden

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

Nothing will work unless you do.
John Wooden

Basketball Court Dimensions and Hoop Height

Basketball Practice Plans Quotes

What you specifically teach is what your players will do best.
Dick Bennett

See the picture, sell the picture, paint the picture.
Dick Bennett

Coaching is preparation.
Pete Carril

Good coaching is good teaching and nothing else.
Pat Conroy

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

Check out: Kawhi Leonard quotes, net worth and more.

Inspirational Basketball Coaching Quotes

I always designed my practice plans the night before and then made tweaks a few hours before practice began.
Bob Knight

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

Practice structure determines success.
Bobby Knight

23 Inspirational Basketball Quotes

Perform drills that force your players to think.
Bobby Knight

You better have great practices.
Al McGuire

Make practices like games, and games like practices.
Don Meyer

Know what you want to emphasize, then do it daily.
Unknown

All really successful coaches have a system.
Jimmy Valvano

I would spend almost as much time planning practice as conducting it. Everything was planned out each day.
John Wooden

If you have any suggestions to add to our collection of quotes, please use the Contact Us form and let us know. Thanks.

You might like The Brad Stevens Interview.

Basketball Resources

Practice Plans – A complete season’s worth of basketball plans give you a proven system for a great season.

Certificates – Recognize players, coaches and team parents with these designer certificates. Personalize, print and present.

Check out Basketball Quotes for Girls.

Youth Training Program – A six or nine-week program to get youth basketball players ready for the season ahead. Practice this summer at your home or neighborhood court.

Slogans and Sayings – From “Teamwork makes the dream work” to “One team, One heart,” check out this big collection of basketball slogans and sayings.

— Mike O’Halloran

Mike is a former basketball coach, author of three books on basketball, and founder of Sports Feel Good Stories.