Michael Jordan Basketball Quotations

If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.

If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.

Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.

Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.

I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.

To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don't isolate.

In college I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I've been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.

When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it's time for me to move away from the game.

If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.

My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes.

Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.

The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.

There is no 'i' in team but there is in win.

There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don't believe there is only one greatest player either.

The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I've always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It's been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It's a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.

My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline.

When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.

For a competitive junkie like me, golf is a great solution because it smacks you in the face every time you think you have accomplished something. That to me has taken over a lot of the energy and competitiveness for basketball.

I realize that I'm black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody's wish.

I never thought a role model should be negative.

I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot... when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.

As athletes, we're used to reacting quickly. Here, it's 'come, stop, come, stop.' There's a lot of downtime. That's the toughest part of the day.

Even when I'm old and grey, I won't be able to play it, but I'll still love the game.

I saw firsthand the interest in basketball over there, and it made me reconsider. Nothing is final, but I'm certainly considering playing.

I can never stop working hard. Each day I feel that I have to improve. Hardwork...Determination...I gotta keep pushing myself.

Accept a loss as a learning experience, and never point fingers at your teammates

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career...

I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.

Maybe it’s my own fault. Maybe I led you to believe it was easy when it wasn’t. Maybe I made you think my highlights started at the free throw line, and not in the gym. Maybe I made you think that every shot I took was a game winner. That my game was built on flash, and not fire. Maybe it’s my fault that you didn’t see that failure gave me strength; that my pain was my motivation. Maybe I led you to believe that basketball was a God given gift, and not something I worked for every single day of my life. Maybe I destroyed the game. Or maybe you’re just making excuses.

Confidence allows you to progress in something you're attempting to accomplish, whether it's playing basketball or baseball or whether it's trying to succeed in business.

There have been times when I have failed. But there have never been times when I thought I would fail

Success doesn't stop when you get there

I'm sorry to see it end.

The NBA is the strongest professional sports league in the world. The league and the game is bigger than any one person, Michael Jordan included, and they always will be. I hope that today players, especially our young players, continue to recognize that simple fact. Nothing is more important than the game itself and the fans who support it.

Even though, physically, I can't do it, the mind says, 'Yeah, I can still do it,' and I still think I can do it better than most in the NBA, … Driven From Within.

Sometimes I wonder what it will be like to look back on all this. Whether it will seem real.

I am privileged to have played basketball.

My fellow Wilmington, North Carolina native Meadowlark Lemon is a true national treasure. I watched him play for the Harlem Globetrotters when I was growing up and his skill with the basketball and dedication to the game were an inspiration not only to me, but to kids all around the world.

Basketball isn't my job.

Basketball isn't just about the bright lights, packed arenas and highlight reels. Basketball is a way of life. Basketball is a relationship between you and the ball, you and your teammates. If you love the game, nobody can take that from you.

I heave the basketball; I know it sails in a parabola, exhibiting perfect symmetry, which is interrupted by the basket. It's funny, but it is always interrupted by the basket.

People can fly. Some people fly higher than others, that's all.

Because I want every kid to be viewed as a person rather than as a member of a certain race does not mean that I'm not black enough. . . . Do they want me to be positive just for black kids and negative for everybody else?

I was in Chicago in 1994 and at this time I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball, Bryon Russell came over to me and said, "Why'd you quit? You know I could guard you." When I did come back in 1995 and we played Utah in '96, I'm at the center circle and Bryon Russell is standing next to me. I said, "You remember what you said in 1994 about, 'I think I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you?' Well, you're about to get your chance.

I truly love the game; I wouldn't be playing if I didn't love the game. I'm not getting paid astronomical dollars; it's truly for the love of the game of basketball.

Great players never look in the mirror and think I'm a great basketball player. You ask yourself, Am I the best player I can be?

I viewed it as a business, but I always viewed it as a game. An opportunity to show my skills, my basketball skills, amongst the best in the world.

Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach – he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it. In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life. My heart goes out to Linnea and their kids. We've lost a great man who had an incredible impact on his players, his staff and the entire UNC family.

I think school is very important and I personally had a great experience at North Carolina, which helped shape me as a basketball player and a person. Every once in a while, you will have a player who can make the jump and have an immediate impact on the professional level, but most of the players who come out would absolutely benefit from going to college.

I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me . . . Failure always made me try harder next time.

It doesn't matter if you fall down, it's whether you get back up.

Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.

So, the next time you're out working on your game and they pass you the rock, don't just take it to the hole. Take it to the next level. Don't just bend rims. Bend expectations. Let them see you and feel you and by the very virtue of your love, the truth in your game, they will hear you. Let your game speak.

I play to win, whether during practice or a real game.

There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren't willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

It's heavy duty to try to do everything and please everybody . . . My job was to go out there and play the game of basketball as best I can, ... People may not agree with that . . . I can't live with what everyone's impression of what I should or what I shouldn't do.

I would tell players to relax and never think about what's at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you've lost your focus.

Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise

If you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

Heart is what separates the good from the great.

Each time I step on the basketball court, I never know what will happen. I live for the moment. I play for the moment.

The good part about being famous is being able to help people. The hard part is every day you have to be in a good mood, because that is what people expect. You learn to get good at it.

If nobody will help you do it alone!

You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.

People ask me if I could fly, I said, 'yeah....' for a little while.

I've never been afraid to fail.

If you quit ONCE it becomes a habit.Never quit!!!

The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine. On the basketball court, I worry about nothing. When I'm out there, no one can bother me...

To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.

What is love? Love is playing every game as if it's your last!

Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.

Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.