---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really wasn't even a good high school…"
description: "\"I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't have any plays for me run in college - ever.\" — Duncan Robinson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg"
---

#  I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't…

![“I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't have any plays for me run in college - ever.” quote by Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg)

> “I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't have any plays for me run in college - ever.”

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Acknowledges humble beginnings and lack of early opportunities, highlighting perseverance.

**In simple terms:** I wasn't a star in high school and had no college offers.

Key Takeaway

Persist despite early setbacks.

Themes

sports perseverance self‑belief growth humility

Mood

motivational realistic

Type

sports personal development

When to use this quote

- Coaching
- mentoring
- personal development
- team building
- goal setting

Key Concepts

Underdog narrative talent development mindset resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you when early chances are few?
- How can institutions support overlooked talent?

A Different Perspective

Success stories can oversimplify systemic barriers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Player Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player-didn-477111/) [Plays Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-run-2316031/) [Run College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/run-college-1341760/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-player-3492034/)

## Related quotes

> [There were certain routes that I didn't get a chance to run in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davante-adams/there-were-certain-routes-that-i-didn-t-get-a-chance-to-run-in-college/)

[Davante Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davante-adams/)

> [In high school, when you're a top player, there are ways of getting eligible, ways of getting out of going to class. It made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-ochocinco/in-high-school-when-you-re-a-top-player-there-are-ways-of-getting/)

[Chad Ochocinco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-ochocinco/)

> [Being a great high school player is one thing, but being a great NBA player is another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/being-a-great-high-school-player-is-one-thing-but-being-a-great-nba/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [I'd like to be in a position to have plays run through me and share the ball, make plays. Still score, obviously, but make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/i-d-like-to-be-in-a-position-to-have-plays-run-through-me-and-share/)

[Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/)

> [I've done plays where you get into the run and can go to auditions during the day, or can have lunch with someone, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gilpin/i-ve-done-plays-where-you-get-into-the-run-and-can-go-to-auditions/)

[Betty Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gilpin/)

> [When we are up against a team with a lot of talent that plays well, we have to run hard, go into the tackle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/when-we-are-up-against-a-team-with-a-lot-of-talent-that-plays-well-we/)

[Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/)

> [There are no plays run for your sake as a defender - you just have to want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-wallace/there-are-no-plays-run-for-your-sake-as-a-defender-you-just-have-to/)

[Ben Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-wallace/)

> [The running game in pro football has gotten so boring. There's just four or five plays they can run. I think the whole thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walsh/the-running-game-in-pro-football-has-gotten-so-boring-there-s-just/)

[Bill Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walsh/)

> [Matt Bonner. That's the legend right there. I was in fifth grade and watched him play at our local high school. Sold out. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/matt-bonner-that-s-the-legend-right-there-i-was-in-fifth-grade-and/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [Once a player joins our team, our priority is to teach him, not worry about the player we didn't select.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/once-a-player-joins-our-team-our-priority-is-to-teach-him-not-worry/)

[Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/)

> [I came to Leverkusen as a very young player and didn't have many Bundesliga games back then. I wasn't well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emre-can/i-came-to-leverkusen-as-a-very-young-player-and-didn-t-have-many/)

[Emre Can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emre-can/)

> [Stevie Ray Vaughan was very intense. Maybe that's what caught everybody's attention. As a player, he didn't do anything amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-blackmore/stevie-ray-vaughan-was-very-intense-maybe-that-s-what-caught/)

[Ritchie Blackmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-blackmore/)

> [ “It’s my very unsophisticated way of taking the power back. I’ve always had an issue with \[the idea that\]: “OK, we’ve both decided to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/it-s-my-very-unsophisticated-way-of-taking-the-power-back-i-ve-always/)

[Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/)

> [With Luis Enrique, I never expected he would become a coach. He was an intuition player; he didn't speak with me about tactics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-van-gaal/with-luis-enrique-i-never-expected-he-would-become-a-coach-he-was-an/)

[Louis van Gaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-van-gaal/)

> [When I was a player, I didn't expect my teammates to play the way I did. I did expect them to work hard every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-a-player-i-didn-t-expect-my-teammates-to-play-the-way-i/)

[Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/)

## More by Duncan Robinson

> [Matt Bonner. That's the legend right there. I was in fifth grade and watched him play at our local high school. Sold out. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/matt-bonner-that-s-the-legend-right-there-i-was-in-fifth-grade-and/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I'm pretty unassuming, at least I think. I'm tall, but other than that, that's where it stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-m-pretty-unassuming-at-least-i-think-i-m-tall-but-other-than-that/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I'll tell anybody, I think the seacoast in the summer is as good as it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-ll-tell-anybody-i-think-the-seacoast-in-the-summer-is-as-good-as-it/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I am a very opinionated person and I have stuff that I believe in. But I've always struggled to find my niche amidst it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-am-a-very-opinionated-person-and-i-have-stuff-that-i-believe-in-but/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [It's my job to make shots. But the big shift is that I understand it's actually my job to take these shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/it-s-my-job-to-make-shots-but-the-big-shift-is-that-i-understand-it-s/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [That's what the summer is all about - showcasing what you can do and then learning the areas where you still need to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/that-s-what-the-summer-is-all-about-showcasing-what-you-can-do-and/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [A lot of times in coaching, that's more than half the battle, to get people that are willing to buy in because they trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/a-lot-of-times-in-coaching-that-s-more-than-half-the-battle-to-get/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I have a ton of respect for Fred Van Vleet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-have-a-ton-of-respect-for-fred-van-vleet/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I mean, some of the shots I take now I wouldn't have dreamed of taking when I first put on a Heat uniform. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-mean-some-of-the-shots-i-take-now-i-wouldn-t-have-dreamed-of-taking/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [Maybe myself out of anybody has experience playing in empty gyms, either in the G League or my first year at Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/maybe-myself-out-of-anybody-has-experience-playing-in-empty-gyms/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I just try to improve myself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-just-try-to-improve-myself-every-day/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I stay low key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-stay-low-key/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I still want to have the reputation of kind of being a quiet hardworking type of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-still-want-to-have-the-reputation-of-kind-of-being-a-quiet/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I've learned that you don't want to expect anything or feel that you're owed anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-ve-learned-that-you-don-t-want-to-expect-anything-or-feel-that-you/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

> [I mean, you never want to limit yourself or what you're capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-mean-you-never-want-to-limit-yourself-or-what-you-re-capable-of/)

[Duncan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

[Explore all 29 Duncan Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/)

## More College quotes

> [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/)

[Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/)

> [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/)

[Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/)

[Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/)

> [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/)

[Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/)

> [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/)

[K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/)

> [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/)

[Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/)

> [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/)

[Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/)

> [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/)

[Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/)

> [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/)

[Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/)

> [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/)

[Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/)

[Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't have any plays for me run in college - ever.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Duncan Robinson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school-player-i-didn-t-have-any/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "College"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school-player-i-didn-t-have-any/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a6/duncan-robinson-21512_college_i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school_2866065.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I really wasn't even a good high school player. I didn't have any plays for me run in college - ever.” — Duncan Robinson",
                "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": "Duncan Robinson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-robinson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I really wasn't even a good...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school-player-i-didn-t-have-any/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-robinson/i-really-wasn-t-even-a-good-high-school-player-i-didn-t-have-any/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
