--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wasn't as critical during games as I…" description: "\"I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice. Players needed confidence during games more than criticism.\" — Dean Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg" --- # I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice… ![“I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice. Players needed confidence during games more than criticism.” quote by Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg) > “I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice. Players needed confidence during games more than criticism.” [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized that criticism in practice hurt confidence, so he chose encouragement during games. **In simple terms:** Encouragement boosts performance. Key Takeaway Prioritize confidence over critique. Themes leadership coaching confidence performance communication Mood thoughtful determined Type advice leadership When to use this quote - Practice sessions - game time - team meetings - player development Key Concepts Psychology of motivation team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance feedback and confidence? - When is criticism necessary? A Different Perspective Excessive praise can breed complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-games-4703779/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-confidence-2412205/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-players-3936438/) [Wasn Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-critical-5487193/) ## Related quotes > [Getting games with PSG was just a confidence booster for me. Coming into the national camp, I didn't expect to get as much game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-weah/getting-games-with-psg-was-just-a-confidence-booster-for-me-coming/) [Timothy Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-weah/) > [Everybody's so scared to be honest with one another. If you didn't like the way I handled myself in practice, one of the players,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-butler/everybody-s-so-scared-to-be-honest-with-one-another-if-you-didn-t/) [Jimmy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-butler/) > [I learned that I am a lot stronger and more determined than I realised and I think I needed that confidence boost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harding/i-learned-that-i-am-a-lot-stronger-and-more-determined-than-i/) [Sarah Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harding/) > [I wasn't being critical of myself in the way I can normally be, and I was letting myself follow through with stuff. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-temple/i-wasn-t-being-critical-of-myself-in-the-way-i-can-normally-be-and-i/) [Luke Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-temple/) > [The person of analytic or critical intellect finds something ridiculous in everything. The person of synthetic or constructive intellect, in almost nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-person-of-analytic-or-critical-intellect-finds-something/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Becoming critical in the face of criticism, only inspires more criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/becoming-critical-in-the-face-of-criticism-only-inspires-more/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [“Maybe one of the greatest criticisms that we can levy against ourselves is our unwillingness to stand against the criticisms that people levy against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/maybe-one-of-the-greatest-criticisms-that-we-can-levy-against/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [When I first prepared this particular talk... I realized that my usual approach is usually critical. That is, a lot of the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/when-i-first-prepared-this-particular-talk-i-realized-that-my-usual/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [People will pay a price for putting political obstruction over progress in a time that is so critical and urgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/people-will-pay-a-price-for-putting-political-obstruction-over/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) ## More by Dean Smith > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“If you do what we ask you to do, the victories will belong to you, and the losses to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/if-you-do-what-we-ask-you-to-do-the-victories-will-belong-to-you-and/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [The best way to build team chemistry is the way Rupp used to substitute, when they fouled out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-best-way-to-build-team-chemistry-is-the-way-rupp-used-to/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [The real issue is not if a crossing is put in, but when. It would be negligent on the part of Union Pacific and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-real-issue-is-not-if-a-crossing-is-put-in-but-when-it-would-be/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [A leader's job is to develop committed followers. Bad leaders destroy their followers' sense of commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/a-leader-s-job-is-to-develop-committed-followers-bad-leaders-destroy/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [The focus should be on the players. I'm here a long time. You can call me in the summer. Our seniors will be gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-focus-should-be-on-the-players-i-m-here-a-long-time-you-can-call/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [As soon as you try to describe a close friendship, it loses something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/as-soon-as-you-try-to-describe-a-close-friendship-it-loses-something/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [The truly free person in society is a disciplined person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-truly-free-person-in-society-is-a-disciplined-person/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I would never recruit a player who yells at his teammates, disrespected his high school coach, or scores 33 points a game and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-would-never-recruit-a-player-who-yells-at-his-teammates/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I just think we shouldn't get into counting coaches' records. I've never been for that... but I know that's just American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-just-think-we-shouldn-t-get-into-counting-coaches-records-i-ve/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [A lion never roars after a kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/a-lion-never-roars-after-a-kill/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Play hard. Play smart. Play together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/play-hard-play-smart-play-together/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [The most important thing in good leadership is truly caring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-most-important-thing-in-good-leadership-is-truly-caring/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [One player's selfish attitude can poison a locker room and make it hard, if not impossible, to establish team work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/one-player-s-selfish-attitude-can-poison-a-locker-room-and-make-it/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I know a lawyer who'd love to retire and be an assistant coach. I mean, it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-know-a-lawyer-who-d-love-to-retire-and-be-an-assistant-coach-i-mean/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) [Explore all 55 Dean Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) ## 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": "I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice. Players needed confidence during games more than criticism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dean Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-was-at-practice-players-needed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-was-at-practice-players-needed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/dean-smith-12433_basketball_i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-w_3122323.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wasn't as critical during games as I was at practice. Players needed confidence during games more than…” — Dean Smith", "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": "Dean Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wasn't as critical during games...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-was-at-practice-players-needed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-wasn-t-as-critical-during-games-as-i-was-at-practice-players-needed/#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 } } ] } ```