Skip to content

I'm upset at myself. I should have had 50. I missed 13…

“I'm upset at myself. I should have had 50. I missed 13 free throws. That's unacceptable. If I want to be accepted by Wilt and Kareem and Russell I've got to start playing better than that. Right now I'm still in the class of Hakeem and David Robinson and that's not good enough for me. I want to be…” quote by Shaquille O'Neal
Download Open image
“I'm upset at myself. I should have had 50. I missed 13 free throws. That's unacceptable. If I want to be accepted by Wilt and Kareem and Russell I've got to start playing better than that. Right now I'm still in the class of Hakeem and David Robinson and that's not good enough for me. I want to be out there with the immortals.”

Shaquille O'Neal

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He criticizes his own performance, using legendary players as benchmarks, pushing himself to improve.

In simple terms: He feels he fell short and wants to match the greats.

Key Takeaway

Set higher standards and train harder.

Themes

self‑criticism ambition sports excellence

Mood

determined intense

Type

motivational competitive

When to use this quote

  • practice drills
  • mental visualization
  • coach feedback
  • performance review

Key Concepts

motivation comparative mindset goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

  • What specific skills must you develop?
  • How can you measure progress without harsh self‑judgment?
A Different Perspective

Comparing to legends can cause discouragement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Shaquille O'Neal

Explore all 422 Shaquille O'Neal quotes

More Accepted quotes

Browse all 2,128 Accepted quotes