--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basketball to me is more than a passion…" description: "\"Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the world.\" — Enes Kanter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg" --- # Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it… ![“Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the world.” quote by Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg) > “Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the world.” [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Basketball serves as a platform for social impact beyond personal passion or income. **In simple terms:** He uses the sport to influence the world. Key Takeaway Leverage your platform for positive change. Themes sports activism purpose social impact Mood determined passionate inspirational Type sports activism inspirational When to use this quote - charity events - public speaking - policy advocacy Key Concepts athlete advocacy community outreach global issues Questions to Reflect On - What causes can athletes support effectively? - How to balance sport and activism? A Different Perspective Impact can be limited by fame. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Our intention is that people use MakerBots to have a positive impact on the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bre-pettis/our-intention-is-that-people-use-makerbots-to-have-a-positive-impact/) [Bre Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bre-pettis/) > [Going to Haiti and delivering food or helping kids into AAU programs or to get into schools - anything I just try to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hill/going-to-haiti-and-delivering-food-or-helping-kids-into-aau-programs/) [George Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hill/) > [For me, whenever I get on the floor, I'm gonna try to impact the game and just do what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-clarkson/for-me-whenever-i-get-on-the-floor-i-m-gonna-try-to-impact-the-game/) [Jordan Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-clarkson/) > [I want to use my platform the right way and try to impact people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-lawrence/i-want-to-use-my-platform-the-right-way-and-try-to-impact-people/) [Trevor Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-lawrence/) > [CARING is my profession and Basketball is my PASSION.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noltiedamus/caring-is-my-profession-and-basketball-is-my-passion/) Noltiedamus > [Basketball is my passion, and I love it, and I love to see my players succeed. I'm here for them and my children. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-pitino/basketball-is-my-passion-and-i-love-it-and-i-love-to-see-my-players/) [Rick Pitino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-pitino/) > [There's an art to basketball; there's a passion to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/there-s-an-art-to-basketball-there-s-a-passion-to-it/) Fabolous > [Basketball is my passion, I love it. But my family and friends mean everything to me. That's what's important. I need my phone so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/basketball-is-my-passion-i-love-it-but-my-family-and-friends-mean/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [I remember playing hockey as a kid - I was goalie in gym class and I was pretty good at it. But basketball was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-remember-playing-hockey-as-a-kid-i-was-goalie-in-gym-class-and-i/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [I gave everything I had to basketball. The passion is still there but the desire to play is not. It was a great ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/i-gave-everything-i-had-to-basketball-the-passion-is-still-there-but/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [“Explore new avenues and look for ways to have a greater, much more influential impact on the world around you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayur-ramgir/explore-new-avenues-and-look-for-ways-to-have-a-greater-much-more/) [Mayur Ramgir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayur-ramgir/) > [“There is no one that cannot make an impact in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-one-that-cannot-make-an-impact-in-this-world/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Small changes among the masses, can have a massive impact across the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nappi-ii/small-changes-among-the-masses-can-have-a-massive-impact-across-the/) Dennis Nappi II > [“This civilization is the impact of the world's consumption behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta-betelgeuse-incident/this-civilization-is-the-impact-of-the-world-s-consumption-behavior/) [Toba Beta \[Betelgeuse Incident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta-betelgeuse-incident/) > [Becoming aware of yourself and the impact you have on the world is not an easy task. It is not for the faint of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/becoming-aware-of-yourself-and-the-impact-you-have-on-the-world-is/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) ## More by Enes Kanter > [I'm a successful professional athlete, and whatever I'm going through in my private life would never impact my performance on court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-m-a-successful-professional-athlete-and-whatever-i-m-going-through/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [Because I play in the NBA, I am lucky enough to have a public platform, so I've used every opportunity to make sure everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/because-i-play-in-the-nba-i-am-lucky-enough-to-have-a-public-platform/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [The only time I have fun is when I'm on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/the-only-time-i-have-fun-is-when-i-m-on-the-court/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [Some of my teammates and coaches don't understand what I'm doing by speaking out, but they support me, for which I am grateful. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/some-of-my-teammates-and-coaches-don-t-understand-what-i-m-doing-by/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I have a prominent platform and I want to use it to promote respect for human rights, democracy, and personal freedom. For me, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-have-a-prominent-platform-and-i-want-to-use-it-to-promote-respect/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [The N.B.A. provides a big platform to shed light on the human rights violations in Turkey and gives a voice to the thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/the-n-b-a-provides-a-big-platform-to-shed-light-on-the-human-rights/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [After my second year in the NBA, my prep years, my college, I hadn't really found myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/after-my-second-year-in-the-nba-my-prep-years-my-college-i-hadn-t/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I am immensely blessed to be in America. This country has given me so much since I came here from Turkey as a teenager,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-am-immensely-blessed-to-be-in-america-this-country-has-given-me-so/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [My observance as a practicing Muslim in the NBA is somewhat uncommon. Since joining the league in 2011, my dedication to my faith has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/my-observance-as-a-practicing-muslim-in-the-nba-is-somewhat-uncommon/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I'm an NBA player with no shoe deal. No endorsement deal. And I play in New York!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-m-an-nba-player-with-no-shoe-deal-no-endorsement-deal-and-i-play-in/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [The Turkish government is very famous for hunting down those who oppose Erdogan... I just didn't really want to risk my life by going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/the-turkish-government-is-very-famous-for-hunting-down-those-who/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I mean, Turkey is my country. You know, it's my flag. That is where we're raised... My family is born there. So that's why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-mean-turkey-is-my-country-you-know-it-s-my-flag-that-is-where-we-re/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I receive many death threats. I used to love walking around New York City alone, but I can't do that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-receive-many-death-threats-i-used-to-love-walking-around-new-york/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [After I see in OKC, I see this is how NBA teams are. You know how you're like in a dream and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/after-i-see-in-okc-i-see-this-is-how-nba-teams-are-you-know-how-you/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [I want to stay with the Knicks. They have great fans, team, organization, people. I would love to stay here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/i-want-to-stay-with-the-knicks-they-have-great-fans-team-organization/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) [Explore all 56 Enes Kanter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) ## 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": "Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Enes Kanter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion-or-a-paycheck-it-is-the-tool/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion-or-a-paycheck-it-is-the-tool/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/enes-kanter-12067_basketball_basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion_1642317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Basketball to me is more than a passion or a paycheck - it is the tool I use to try to have an impact in the…” — Enes Kanter", "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": "Enes Kanter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Basketball to me is more than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion-or-a-paycheck-it-is-the-tool/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/basketball-to-me-is-more-than-a-passion-or-a-paycheck-it-is-the-tool/#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 } } ] } ```