---
title: "15 Player Quotes By Phil Jackson"
description: "15 Player quotes by Phil Jackson. Plus more from Phil Jackson and more Player sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/phil-jackson-4484_colleagues_the-sign-of-a-great-player-is-how-much-h_1911172.png"
---

> [The sign of a great player is how much he elevates his colleagues' performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-sign-of-a-great-player-is-how-much-he-elevates-his-colleagues/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/phil-jackson-4484_colleagues_the-sign-of-a-great-player-is-how-much-h_1911172.png)

> [Basketball is a sport that involves the subtle interweaving of players at full speed to the point where they are thinking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/basketball-is-a-sport-that-involves-the-subtle-interweaving-of/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/phil-jackson-4484_basketball_basketball-is-a-sport-that-involves-the_564394.png)

> [The problem with trading dominant players of that size is you never get in return what you've bargained away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-problem-with-trading-dominant-players-of-that-size-is-you-never/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/phil-jackson-4484_dominant_the-problem-with-trading-dominant-player_596994.png)

> [A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/a-coach-s-main-job-is-to-reawaken-a-spirit-in-which-the-players-can/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/phil-jackson-4484_baseball_a-coach-s-main-job-is-to-reawaken-a-spir_434182.png)

> [The best thing that I think happened to me was I got the opportunity to have really good players and we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-best-thing-that-i-think-happened-to-me-was-i-got-the-opportunity/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f9/phil-jackson-4484_competition_the-best-thing-that-i-think-happened-to_2414625.png)

> [Coaching is salesmanship. Coaching is winning players over and convincing them they have to play together. It takes a team conviction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/coaching-is-salesmanship-coaching-is-winning-players-over-and/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/phil-jackson-4484_coaching_coaching-is-salesmanship-coaching-is-win_2193436.jpg)

> [He practiced against Kobe all of last year, so obviously it was sweet revenge for him. We deserved that. We didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/he-practiced-against-kobe-all-of-last-year-so-obviously-it-was-sweet/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/phil-jackson-4484_charlotte_he-practiced-against-kobe-all-of-last-ye_2579355.jpg)

> [An acrobatic dunk will make it onto Sports Center. A simple, unspectacular bounce pass in the rhythm of the offense will not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/an-acrobatic-dunk-will-make-it-onto-sports-center-a-simple/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/phil-jackson-4484_basketball_an-acrobatic-dunk-will-make-it-onto-spor_3198550.png)

> [My philosophy is that you can't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-can-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/phil-jackson-4484_basketball_my-philosophy-is-that-you-can-t-motivate_184964.png)

> [Kobe was hell-bent on surpassing Jordan as the greatest player in the game. His obsession with Michael was striking. When we played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/kobe-was-hell-bent-on-surpassing-jordan-as-the-greatest-player-in-the/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/phil-jackson-4484_ass_kobe-was-hell-bent-on-surpassing-jordan_1582353.png)

> [I probably would have no capability of absorbing a 60-defeat season as a coach. It would be a foreign experience. My whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-probably-would-have-no-capability-of-absorbing-a-60-defeat-season/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/phil-jackson-4484_absorbing_i-probably-would-have-no-capability-of-a_2588659.png)

> [There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/there-s-a-term-agape-you-hear-used-a-lot-with-charismatic-religious/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/phil-jackson-4484_agape_there-s-a-term-agape-you-hear-used-a-lot_63769.png)

> [Despite their tremendous talent, (NBA players) are still, by and large, young adults, seeking validation from an authority figure, and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/despite-their-tremendous-talent-nba-players-are-still-by-and-large/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/phil-jackson-4484_adults_despite-their-tremendous-talent-nba-play_1822868.jpg)

> [Basketball is a great mystery. You can do everything right. You can have the perfect mix of talent and the best system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/basketball-is-a-great-mystery-you-can-do-everything-right-you-can/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/phil-jackson-4484_basketball_basketball-is-a-great-mystery-you-can-do_1464105.png)

> [I always tell the players, "We are in the business that's very much like a marathon race only we're gonna be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-always-tell-the-players-we-are-in-the-business-that-s-very-much/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/phil-jackson-4484_business_i-always-tell-the-players-we-are-in-the_2584561.jpg)

## Other authors on Player

## More by Phil Jackson

> [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“The unconscious mind is a terrific solver of complex problems when the conscious mind is busy elsewhere or, perhaps better yet, not overtaxed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-unconscious-mind-is-a-terrific-solver-of-complex-problems-when/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of sharing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/there-s-a-term-agape-you-hear-used-a-lot-with-charismatic-religious/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“My confidence grew out of knowing that when the spirit was right and the players were attuned to one another, the game was likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-confidence-grew-out-of-knowing-that-when-the-spirit-was-right-and/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [I don't believe in curfews, because you can't treat men like they were boys without forfeiting a certain level of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-don-t-believe-in-curfews-because-you-can-t-treat-men-like-they-were/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My philosophy is that you can't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-can-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches; you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in, and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-don-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It's about mastering the art of letting go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/leadership-is-not-about-forcing-your-will-on-others-it-s-about/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“As a leader your job is to do everything in your power to create the perfect conditions for success by benching your ego and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/as-a-leader-your-job-is-to-do-everything-in-your-power-to-create-the/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [If we can accept whatever hand we've been dealt - no matter how unwelcome - the way to proceed eventually becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/if-we-can-accept-whatever-hand-we-ve-been-dealt-no-matter-how/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/a-coach-s-main-job-is-to-reawaken-a-spirit-in-which-the-players-can/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“Zen teacher Lewis Richmond tells the story of hearing Shunryu Suzuki sum up Buddhism in two words. Suzuki had just finished giving a talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/zen-teacher-lewis-richmond-tells-the-story-of-hearing-shunryu-suzuki/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My mother's families were Mennonites or Anabaptists that came to Minnesota from Russia. They were actually moving around Europe doing diking and lowland reclamation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-mother-s-families-were-mennonites-or-anabaptists-that-came-to/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [The real value in everything you do is in the details. I just like that quote. A very similar way to say the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-real-value-in-everything-you-do-is-in-the-details-i-just-like/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [Coaching is about, "How do I get people to play at their peak level?" It is a spiritual quest. And if it's not that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/coaching-is-about-how-do-i-get-people-to-play-at-their-peak-level-it/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

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                        "text": "My philosophy is that you can't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those are the guys that are competitive. You cannot teach competitiveness.",
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                        "text": "Kobe was hell-bent on surpassing Jordan as the greatest player in the game. His obsession with Michael was striking. When we played in Chicago that season, I orchestrated a meeting between the two of them, thinking that Michael might help shift Kobe’s attitude toward selfless teamwork. After they shook hands, the first words out of Kobe’s mouth were, ‘You know I can kick your ass one on one.’",
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                        "text": "I probably would have no capability of absorbing a 60-defeat season as a coach. It would be a foreign experience. My whole career, even as a player, has been on winning basketball clubs and it just seems to have been a part of the make-up of what’s been given me. That’s what I’ve been given and that’s what I’ve had to deal with. Some people can make fun of it or some people can have a good time with it, or some people can resent it. It’s just what it is.",
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                        "text": "There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of sharing of concern and understanding. I think players and teams have to come to that at some point in the season to become successful. Maybe not \"personal friends,\" but they become teammates at the highest level of that term.",
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                        "text": "Despite their tremendous talent, (NBA players) are still, by and large, young adults, seeking validation from an authority figure, and there is no greater authority figure on a team than the coach. Needless to say, in today's warped, self-indulgent climate, too many players couldn't care less about appeasing the coach.",
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                        "text": "Basketball is a great mystery. You can do everything right. You can have the perfect mix of talent and the best system of offense in the game. You can devise a foolproof defensive strategy and prepare your players for every possible eventuality. But if the players don’t have a sense of oneness as a group, your efforts won’t pay off. And the bond that unites a team can be so fragile, so elusive.",
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                        "text": "I always tell the players, \"We are in the business that's very much like a marathon race only we're gonna be doing it for 260-something days or so.\" And the race is something you get ready to do. There's gonna be some trial inside of there, but you put yourself through it because ultimately it brings a lot of meaning to your life, it gives a lot of energy to what you're doing.",
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