--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There weren't any sports figures that I…" description: "\"There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I didn't really believe in myself back then or think that I could make it here. There were som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg" --- # There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I… ![“There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I didn't really believe in myself back then or think that I could make it here. There were some regular people in my neighborhood that I looked up to growing up but that was it.” quote by Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg) > “There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I didn't really believe in myself back then or think that I could make it here. There were some regular people in my neighborhood that I looked up to growing up but that was it.” [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker lacked role models in sports because of low self‑belief, instead looking up to ordinary neighbors. **In simple terms:** Low confidence limited sports idols; neighbors were role models. Key Takeaway Seek confidence, broaden role model horizons. Themes self‑esteem role models community sports motivation Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational personal growth When to use this quote - young athletes - personal development - community mentorship Key Concepts psychology social influence identity formation Questions to Reflect On - Who could you view as a role model now? - How can you boost self‑belief? A Different Perspective Confidence can be built through mentorship and self‑affirmation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Regular people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regular-people/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sports Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-figures/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Long Island - if you're from out of town, how would I describe it? Well, every girl in my neighborhood looked like Kenny G.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-leifer/long-island-if-you-re-from-out-of-town-how-would-i-describe-it-well/) [Carol Leifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-leifer/) > [I just thought everybody lived around abandoned buildings and crack-heads, ... I lived in the ghetto until I was like 19. I came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-just-thought-everybody-lived-around-abandoned-buildings-and-crack/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Joe Louis and I were the first modern national sports figures who were black... But neither of us could do national advertising because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/joe-louis-and-i-were-the-first-modern-national-sports-figures-who/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [Mom would talk about Eric Sevareid and Murrow and Howard K. Smith the way other parents talk about sports figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/mom-would-talk-about-eric-sevareid-and-murrow-and-howard-k-smith-the/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [It's part of the juice of sports that you tend to find certain sports figures that you cheer on from other cities and others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/it-s-part-of-the-juice-of-sports-that-you-tend-to-find-certain-sports/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [“IDENTITY CLUE 9: “THEY ARE MAD UPON THEIR IDOLS”            “…for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/identity-clue-9-they-are-mad-upon-their-idols-for-it-is-the-land-of/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [I've called Chicago home for nearly 25 years. It's a city of broad shoulders and big hearts and bold dreams; a city of legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-called-chicago-home-for-nearly-25-years-it-s-a-city-of-broad/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As a kid, I was a paperboy, and the walls of the place where we picked up our papers were plastered with pictures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-a-kid-i-was-a-paperboy-and-the-walls-of-the-place-where-we-picked/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [I'm 5'3'', and not often you get to see that in a magazine. I think that what is so cool about 'Sports Illustrated' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-ray-joel/i-m-5-3-and-not-often-you-get-to-see-that-in-a-magazine-i-think-that/) [Alexa Ray Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-ray-joel/) > [Kids tend to look up to sports figures and entertainers, probably more than they should, but I've tried to use that in a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-moon/kids-tend-to-look-up-to-sports-figures-and-entertainers-probably-more/) [Warren Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-moon/) > [We all idolize sports figures, and we see them fall from grace. You just truly never know anybody anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-eisen/we-all-idolize-sports-figures-and-we-see-them-fall-from-grace-you/) [Rich Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-eisen/) > [If real Satanism were allowed the kind of television time that Christianity has now, the kind of drawing out and patience that interviewers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/if-real-satanism-were-allowed-the-kind-of-television-time-that/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [Being a sports-crazy kid I always looked up to sports figures. At first it was Ken Griffey Jr., then Michael Jordan, then once I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-hall/being-a-sports-crazy-kid-i-always-looked-up-to-sports-figures-at/) [Ryan Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-hall/) > [Sports figures are to the '70s what movie stars were to the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/sports-figures-are-to-the-70s-what-movie-stars-were-to-the-60s/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Entertainers and sports figures achieve fame and wealth but find the world empty and dull without the solace and stimulation of drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/entertainers-and-sports-figures-achieve-fame-and-wealth-but-find-the/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) ## More by Carmelo Anthony > [People look at me like I'm on my way out of the game. I'm just getting started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/people-look-at-me-like-i-m-on-my-way-out-of-the-game-i-m-just-getting/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [Man, I think the sky is the limit for this team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/man-i-think-the-sky-is-the-limit-for-this-team/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [When you've never had something, you want it worse than anything,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/when-you-ve-never-had-something-you-want-it-worse-than-anything/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [With the way everything's going now and the way that technology is going, you can do a lot of things with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/with-the-way-everything-s-going-now-and-the-way-that-technology-is/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [When I step on that basketball court, I'm thinking about basketball, I'm thinking about winning - but there's so much that goes into thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/when-i-step-on-that-basketball-court-i-m-thinking-about-basketball-i/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I want to retire in New York, let's be quite frank. I think a lot of people jumped the gun when I said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-want-to-retire-in-new-york-let-s-be-quite-frank-i-think-a-lot-of/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I want to win. I don't care about the money,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-want-to-win-i-don-t-care-about-the-money/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I'm really into fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-m-really-into-fashion/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I never envisioned myself playing for the U.S. Olympic team -- growing up, I never envisioned playing in the NBA, to be real with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-never-envisioned-myself-playing-for-the-u-s-olympic-team-growing-up/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I think I'm the most underrated superstar that's out there, but that doesn't matter to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-think-i-m-the-most-underrated-superstar-that-s-out-there-but-that/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [People only know what they see on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/people-only-know-what-they-see-on-tv/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [Of course I want to take the last shot, let's be quite frank: I've been doing for nine years already, and I've made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/of-course-i-want-to-take-the-last-shot-let-s-be-quite-frank-i-ve-been/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [ I got a picture \[tattoo\] of Mohammed Ali on my side with one of his quotes. That's my guy. I look up to him.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-got-a-picture-tattoo-of-mohammed-ali-on-my-side-with-one-of-his/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [What I do will be straight up. Management knows that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/what-i-do-will-be-straight-up-management-knows-that/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [The NBAs a Fortune 500 company. Thats how you look at it. And all the other Fortune 500 companies out there in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/the-nbas-a-fortune-500-company-thats-how-you-look-at-it-and-all-the/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) [Explore all 101 Carmelo Anthony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I didn't really believe in myself back then or think that I could make it here. There were some regular people in my neighborhood that I looked up to growing up but that was it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carmelo Anthony" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i-idolized-because-i-didn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i-idolized-because-i-didn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/carmelo-anthony-5382_believe_there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i_1551900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There weren't any sports figures that I idolized because I didn't really believe in myself back then or…” — Carmelo Anthony", "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": "Carmelo Anthony", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There weren't any sports figures that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i-idolized-because-i-didn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/there-weren-t-any-sports-figures-that-i-idolized-because-i-didn-t/#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 } } ] } ```