--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How good can we expect to be if our best…" description: "\"How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate\" — Brad Stevens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png" --- # How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our… ![“How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate” quote by Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png) > “How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate” [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Team performance suffers when the star player lacks strong teamwork, highlighting the importance of collaboration over individual talent. **In simple terms:** Best player not being a good teammate limits team success. Key Takeaway Foster teamwork alongside individual skill. Themes teamwork leadership talent management Mood analytical strategic Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - sports teams - project groups - corporate teams - academic collaborations Key Concepts collaborative dynamics role modeling Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop teamwork in high‑performing individuals? - What structures support collaborative success? A Different Perspective Even great talent can’t compensate for poor chemistry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Best players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-players/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Teammate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teammate/) ## Related quotes > [My job is to be the best teammate I can be, push these guys to the limit every day, make sure that I'm being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/my-job-is-to-be-the-best-teammate-i-can-be-push-these-guys-to-the/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I want to be known as the best teammate ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/i-want-to-be-known-as-the-best-teammate-ever/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then you can be successful at anything you put your mind to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-cousy/do-your-best-when-no-one-is-looking-if-you-do-that-then-you-can-be-2/) [Bob Cousy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-cousy/) > [What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/what-to-do-with-a-mistake-recognize-it-admit-it-learn-from-it-forget/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [Do your best when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-cousy/do-your-best-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Bob Cousy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-cousy/) > [When I was young, I never wanted to leave the court until I got things exactly correct. My dream was to become a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-young-i-never-wanted-to-leave-the-court-until-i-got-things/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [One man cannot make a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/one-man-cannot-make-a-team/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Passing is your best weapon against man to man. Dribble penetration is your best weapon against zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/passing-is-your-best-weapon-against-man-to-man-dribble-penetration-is/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [You always have to give 100%,because if you don't someone, somewhere will give 100% and they will beat you when you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-macauley/you-always-have-to-give-100-because-if-you-don-t-someone-somewhere/) [Ed Macauley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-macauley/) > [If you are afraid of failure, you don't deserve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/if-you-are-afraid-of-failure-you-don-t-deserve-success/) [Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/) > [Recognize and reward players who put the team first, not just the gifted ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/recognize-and-reward-players-who-put-the-team-first-not-just-the/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with each other and they sacrifice personal glory for a common goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-debusschere/the-best-teams-have-chemistry-they-communicate-with-each-other-and/) Dave DeBusschere > [This is a team game and one man doesn't win and one man doesn't lose. In the end, the best team usually wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/this-is-a-team-game-and-one-man-doesn-t-win-and-one-man-doesn-t-lose/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [I won't accept anything less than the best a player's capable of doing... and he has the right to expect the best that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/i-won-t-accept-anything-less-than-the-best-a-player-s-capable-of/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## More by Brad Stevens > [I don't focus well angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-don-t-focus-well-angry/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [When you've worked in the same place for 13 years, when things go well, you know how to keep it going well. When things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/when-you-ve-worked-in-the-same-place-for-13-years-when-things-go-well/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I like to be pretty streamlined, to maximize our time on the practice floor. I like to make sure I'm respectful of our players'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-like-to-be-pretty-streamlined-to-maximize-our-time-on-the-practice/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [My care is that we play with great effort and togetherness. That is what we're looking for. That's what we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/my-care-is-that-we-play-with-great-effort-and-togetherness-that-is/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [Jaylen's a high achiever. You can be a high achiever in every which way. He's a guy that - we've talked about several times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/jaylen-s-a-high-achiever-you-can-be-a-high-achiever-in-every-which/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [It's so much fun to dream in your driveway. I had an old wooden backboard in my driveway. That's where my friends and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/it-s-so-much-fun-to-dream-in-your-driveway-i-had-an-old-wooden/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [Jaylen's greatest impact, as good as he is at basketball, won't be at basketball. I just think he's a special guy. He's a special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/jaylen-s-greatest-impact-as-good-as-he-is-at-basketball-won-t-be-at/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I think the NBA's amazing and I think our players are amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-think-the-nba-s-amazing-and-i-think-our-players-are-amazing/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [What makes Butler truly unique is the people that we have been so blessed to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/what-makes-butler-truly-unique-is-the-people-that-we-have-been-so/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [At the end of the day, you do this job because you really like working with your team and like the chance to compete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-do-this-job-because-you-really-like-working/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [My experience at DePauw was about as beneficial as any experience I've had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/my-experience-at-depauw-was-about-as-beneficial-as-any-experience-i/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [One thing I'd like to do better personally is decompress. Obviously when things don't go your way, you'll be thinking of it all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/one-thing-i-d-like-to-do-better-personally-is-decompress-obviously/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [If I was playing a game of Sorry or checkers with my nine-year-old, I hate losing. That's just my makeup and personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/if-i-was-playing-a-game-of-sorry-or-checkers-with-my-nine-year-old-i/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [One of my greatest regrets in coaching is the Butler Final Four runs, because if I would have been a seasoned coach, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/one-of-my-greatest-regrets-in-coaching-is-the-butler-final-four-runs/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I could probably go through our losses in a lot more detail than our wins, all through my career. But you have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/i-could-probably-go-through-our-losses-in-a-lot-more-detail-than-our/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) [Explore all 108 Brad Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brad Stevens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best-player-is-not-our-best/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best-player-is-not-our-best/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best_1551180.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our best teammate” — Brad Stevens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brad Stevens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How good can we expect to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best-player-is-not-our-best/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/how-good-can-we-expect-to-be-if-our-best-player-is-not-our-best/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```