--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a lot of basketball beyond our…" description: "\"There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does\" — Dean Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg" --- # There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a… ![“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does” quote by Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg) > “There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does” [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. Acknowledges uncontrollable factors in basketball but urges personal effort to exceed others. **In simple terms:** Control your effort, not the game. Key Takeaway Focus on personal performance. Themes sports effort control Mood motivational determined Type coaching inspirational When to use this quote - training - team leadership - personal development Key Concepts basketball competition self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve despite external limits? - What role does teamwork play? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic disadvantages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) ## Related quotes > [I play basketball. I can't control the media, the way I play. I can't control all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-play-basketball-i-can-t-control-the-media-the-way-i-play-i-can-t/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [I'm not the type of player to let the 3s get me down: 'Oh, I'm missing a couple of 3s. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/i-m-not-the-type-of-player-to-let-the-3s-get-me-down-oh-i-m-missing-a/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [Lets play again. But this time, Ill be the player one, and you be the player two. Now let me show you all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/lets-play-again-but-this-time-ill-be-the-player-one-and-you-be-the/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [Not only is there more to life than basketball, there's a lot more to basketball than basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/not-only-is-there-more-to-life-than-basketball-there-s-a-lot-more-to/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I play a lot of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-peck/i-play-a-lot-of-basketball/) [Josh Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-peck/) > [I've played a lot of basketball during my life - and it's not always been good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-young/i-ve-played-a-lot-of-basketball-during-my-life-and-it-s-not-always/) [Trae Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-young/) > [I think in Toronto my job was to score just based on the system that we had. We played a lot of iso basketball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-williams/i-think-in-toronto-my-job-was-to-score-just-based-on-the-system-that/) [Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-williams/) > [I don't think the demographic for skating really entails a lot of basketball watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/i-don-t-think-the-demographic-for-skating-really-entails-a-lot-of/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [I've been through a lot, not only with basketball, but with life in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-levert/i-ve-been-through-a-lot-not-only-with-basketball-but-with-life-in/) [Caris LeVert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-levert/) > [I like to play a lot of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-like-to-play-a-lot-of-basketball/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me . . . Failure always made me try harder next time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-know-fear-is-an-obstacle-for-some-people-but-it-is-an-illusion-to/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I think it was always there and it was maybe a matter of bringing it out. It was harder than I thought it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-lafleur/i-think-it-was-always-there-and-it-was-maybe-a-matter-of-bringing-it/) [Guy Lafleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-lafleur/) > [“Don't expect a man will try any harder to keep you than he did to get you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-n-blount/don-t-expect-a-man-will-try-any-harder-to-keep-you-than-he-did-to-get/) [Angela N. Blount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-n-blount/) > [Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/stay-the-course-when-thwarted-try-again-harder-smarter-persevere/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [As a scientist, objectivity is one of my most deeply held values. If we could just try harder, I once thought, surely we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-everett/as-a-scientist-objectivity-is-one-of-my-most-deeply-held-values-if-we/) [Daniel Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-everett/) ## 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": "There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dean Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our-control-but-a-player-should/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our-control-but-a-player-should/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97c/dean-smith-12433_basketball_there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our_2377520.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does” — 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": "There is a lot of basketball...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our-control-but-a-player-should/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/there-is-a-lot-of-basketball-beyond-our-control-but-a-player-should/#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 } } ] } ```