--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have a choice to make when you're not…" description: "\"You have a choice to make when you're not playing. Either you're invested and a great teammate, or your not\" — Brad Stevens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_you-have-a-choice-to-make-when-you-re-no_2101872.png" --- # You have a choice to make when you're not playing. Either… ![“You have a choice to make when you're not playing. Either you're invested and a great teammate, or your not” quote by Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_you-have-a-choice-to-make-when-you-re-no_2101872.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_you-have-a-choice-to-make-when-you-re-no_2101872.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/brad-stevens-4524_basketball_you-have-a-choice-to-make-when-you-re-no_2101872.png) > “You have a choice to make when you're not playing. Either you're invested and a great teammate, or your not” [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. When not actively playing, you must choose to be fully committed as a teammate or remain disengaged. **In simple terms:** Choose commitment over indifference. Key Takeaway Commit fully. Themes teamwork commitment mindset Mood motivational serious Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - practice sessions - team meetings - project collaborations - volunteer work Key Concepts sports psychology leadership Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to stay engaged? - How does disengagement affect group outcomes? A Different Perspective Commitment can be demanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Great team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-team/) [Great Teammate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teammate-411722/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Invested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-invested-4201481/) [Teammate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teammate/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest compliment to any player is he is a great teammate. We can't all be great players, but we can all be great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-bilas/the-greatest-compliment-to-any-player-is-he-is-a-great-teammate-we/) [Jay Bilas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-bilas/) > [I want to be a great teammate, and I want to be the same leader on the field that I know I can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrann-mathieu/i-want-to-be-a-great-teammate-and-i-want-to-be-the-same-leader-on-the/) [Tyrann Mathieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrann-mathieu/) > [Kyrie, he's got a big personality. He's one of these guys that's misunderstood. The way that he's construed in the media is probably going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/kyrie-he-s-got-a-big-personality-he-s-one-of-these-guys-that-s/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [I felt like a coach. I just wanted to do what I could as far as helping guys understand what was going to happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-mack/i-felt-like-a-coach-i-just-wanted-to-do-what-i-could-as-far-as/) [Khalil Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-mack/) > [It's something I know my grandfather pounded into my dad's head, and he pounded into mine: Always be a good person. And I carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/it-s-something-i-know-my-grandfather-pounded-into-my-dad-s-head-and/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Just try to play hard to win games and to be versatile. And also be a great teammate. I'm not faking anything I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thon-maker/just-try-to-play-hard-to-win-games-and-to-be-versatile-and-also-be-a/) [Thon Maker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thon-maker/) > [Tremendous teammate, that's what comes to mind when I think of Scottie Pippen. He was a very caring teammate who was always concerned about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-armstrong/tremendous-teammate-that-s-what-comes-to-mind-when-i-think-of-scottie-2/) [B. J. Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-armstrong/) > [“To be honest with everyone around you, humble no matter how good things get, reliable and consistent so that everyone knows what to expect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ross/to-be-honest-with-everyone-around-you-humble-no-matter-how-good/) [David Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ross/) > [I pride myself on being able to get the guys lined up on the team, and being a great teammate and also doing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/i-pride-myself-on-being-able-to-get-the-guys-lined-up-on-the-team-and/) [Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/) > [I was a great teammate and I love all my teammates, and then No. 2 is I'm a champion. So I don't care if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-frye/i-was-a-great-teammate-and-i-love-all-my-teammates-and-then-no-2-is-i/) [Channing Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-frye/) > [I simply want to be remembered as a great competitor and a great teammate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/i-simply-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-great-competitor-and-a-great/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I think it was everything about him: his work ethic, his desire to be the best football player that he can be. He just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-it-was-everything-about-him-his-work-ethic-his-desire-to-be/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [I'm going to come in and be a hard worker, and I'm going to try to lead by example and be a great teammate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-mack/i-m-going-to-come-in-and-be-a-hard-worker-and-i-m-going-to-try-to/) [Khalil Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-mack/) > [If I come to work every day and do my job, work as hard as I can, be a great teammate, the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/if-i-come-to-work-every-day-and-do-my-job-work-as-hard-as-i-can-be-a/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [You need to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/you-need-to-work-as-hard-to-be-a-great-teammate-as-you-do-to-be-a/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) ## 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": "You have a choice to make when you're not playing. 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