--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up, my first interview when I was…" description: "\"Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said, 'Yeah, I'm going to play in the NBA.' Everybody was like, 'Who is this kid? He is cocky.'\" — Evan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg" --- # Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said… ![“Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said, 'Yeah, I'm going to play in the NBA.' Everybody was like, 'Who is this kid? He is cocky.'” quote by Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg) > “Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said, 'Yeah, I'm going to play in the NBA.' Everybody was like, 'Who is this kid? He is cocky.'” [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) ## 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 recounts an early, bold declaration of NBA ambition that was perceived as arrogance, illustrating how youthful confidence can be misread. **In simple terms:** Bold dreams can be seen as cocky. Key Takeaway Confidence may be misinterpreted. Themes ambition perception youth sports Mood reflective hopeful Type personal anecdote motivational When to use this quote - career counseling - team building workshops Key Concepts self‑efficacy social labeling Practical Applications - coach young talent to frame confidence positively - manage external perceptions Questions to Reflect On - When does confidence cross into perceived arrogance? - How can early ambition be nurtured without alienating peers? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [“I like seeing sexy chicks whoop the cocky off guys like Turner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/i-like-seeing-sexy-chicks-whoop-the-cocky-off-guys-like-turner/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [Me: Breathe if you find me attractive Entire human race: \*dies from lack of oxygen\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-thomason/me-breathe-if-you-find-me-attractive-entire-human-race-dies-from-lack/) [Jazmin Thomason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-thomason/) > [The thing about people from Chicago and the Northwest suburbs is that they're very cocky. I think that serves us well in the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-thing-about-people-from-chicago-and-the-northwest-suburbs-is-that/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [I'd rather be cocky than insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-be-cocky-than-insecure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As cocky as this sounds, I knew I could walk onto that campus and get a date with the nearest available girl. Probably even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/as-cocky-as-this-sounds-i-knew-i-could-walk-onto-that-campus-and-get/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [I'm COCKY and I know it.!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lopez/i-m-cocky-and-i-know-it/) Michelle Lopez > [And then the industry itself was so cocky about what they were doing that they weren't seeing what was coming on the horizon with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maraniss/and-then-the-industry-itself-was-so-cocky-about-what-they-were-doing/) [David Maraniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maraniss/) > [If yuu lyk wat yuu see thn y don yuu tke a picture,,, it'll last longr???](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-evans/if-yuu-lyk-wat-yuu-see-thn-y-don-yuu-tke-a-picture-it-ll-last-longr/) [Carolyn Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-evans/) > [I hope I don't come off as being cocky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-zahara-benet/i-hope-i-don-t-come-off-as-being-cocky/) [BeBe Zahara Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-zahara-benet/) > [Haters call me 'gay,' but their girlfriends want me more than them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/haters-call-me-gay-but-their-girlfriends-want-me-more-than-them/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I don't know how to fix a car. If the car breaks down, and the gas tank does not say "E", I'm screwed. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-know-how-to-fix-a-car-if-the-car-breaks-down-and-the-gas-tank/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [She say I'm cocky, I say that's not me. She call me papi and I say ven aqui.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meek-mill/she-say-i-m-cocky-i-say-that-s-not-me-she-call-me-papi-and-i-say-ven/) [Meek Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meek-mill/) > [Before, when I was 19-0, I was undefeated and I was 23, 24 years old. Yeah, I was cocky, I had a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-sanchez/before-when-i-was-19-0-i-was-undefeated-and-i-was-23-24-years-old/) [Diego Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-sanchez/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [I don't mean to be cocky, but if I'm never on TV again, if I never make another dollar, I am proud. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/i-don-t-mean-to-be-cocky-but-if-i-m-never-on-tv-again-if-i-never-make/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) ## More by Evan Fournier > [I have to keep working, keep getting stronger, keep shooting - every day, every day, to get better. That's how great players become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-have-to-keep-working-keep-getting-stronger-keep-shooting-every-day/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [Denver will always be in my heart. It was my first city in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/denver-will-always-be-in-my-heart-it-was-my-first-city-in-america/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [I did a television commercial when I was 12 back home with Diaw. I have known him a long time. We are very close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-did-a-television-commercial-when-i-was-12-back-home-with-diaw-i/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [In judo, you get your arm broke. You get choked. You can tear your ACL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/in-judo-you-get-your-arm-broke-you-get-choked-you-can-tear-your-acl/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [The thing is I'm with Nike and I don't want to wear any other player's shoe. No Giannis or LeBron - I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/the-thing-is-i-m-with-nike-and-i-don-t-want-to-wear-any-other-player/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [Being on the sidelines is no fun for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/being-on-the-sidelines-is-no-fun-for-me/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [In Denver, I was more of a stationary shooter for some reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/in-denver-i-was-more-of-a-stationary-shooter-for-some-reason/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [I enjoy winning. I just think it's just how I was brought up from a fighters' family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-enjoy-winning-i-just-think-it-s-just-how-i-was-brought-up-from-a/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [The Garden is my favorite arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/the-garden-is-my-favorite-arena/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [I feel like that's one of my problems; I feel like I'm not consistent enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-feel-like-that-s-one-of-my-problems-i-feel-like-i-m-not-consistent/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [England is not really a basketball country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/england-is-not-really-a-basketball-country/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [That's basically what my parents taught me throughout my childhood, being intense and consistent. In my opinion, those are the hardest things to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/that-s-basically-what-my-parents-taught-me-throughout-my-childhood/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [I have confidence in my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/i-have-confidence-in-my-work/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [The thing that I focus on is giving all that I have every day and then if I become a great player, then great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/the-thing-that-i-focus-on-is-giving-all-that-i-have-every-day-and/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) > [Nobody dreams of being on the bench or sitting in the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/nobody-dreams-of-being-on-the-bench-or-sitting-in-the-corner/) [Evan Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) [Explore all 100 Evan Fournier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/) ## More Cocky quotes > [“I like seeing sexy chicks whoop the cocky off guys like Turner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/i-like-seeing-sexy-chicks-whoop-the-cocky-off-guys-like-turner/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Before, when I was 19-0, I was undefeated and I was 23, 24 years old. Yeah, I was cocky, I had a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-sanchez/before-when-i-was-19-0-i-was-undefeated-and-i-was-23-24-years-old/) [Diego Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-sanchez/) > [She say I'm cocky, I say that's not me. She call me papi and I say ven aqui.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meek-mill/she-say-i-m-cocky-i-say-that-s-not-me-she-call-me-papi-and-i-say-ven/) [Meek Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meek-mill/) > [I don't know how to fix a car. If the car breaks down, and the gas tank does not say "E", I'm screwed. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-know-how-to-fix-a-car-if-the-car-breaks-down-and-the-gas-tank/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Haters call me 'gay,' but their girlfriends want me more than them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/haters-call-me-gay-but-their-girlfriends-want-me-more-than-them/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I hope I don't come off as being cocky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-zahara-benet/i-hope-i-don-t-come-off-as-being-cocky/) [BeBe Zahara Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-zahara-benet/) > [If yuu lyk wat yuu see thn y don yuu tke a picture,,, it'll last longr???](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-evans/if-yuu-lyk-wat-yuu-see-thn-y-don-yuu-tke-a-picture-it-ll-last-longr/) [Carolyn Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-evans/) > [And then the industry itself was so cocky about what they were doing that they weren't seeing what was coming on the horizon with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maraniss/and-then-the-industry-itself-was-so-cocky-about-what-they-were-doing/) [David Maraniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maraniss/) > [I'm COCKY and I know it.!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lopez/i-m-cocky-and-i-know-it/) Michelle Lopez > [“As cocky as this sounds, I knew I could walk onto that campus and get a date with the nearest available girl. Probably even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/as-cocky-as-this-sounds-i-knew-i-could-walk-onto-that-campus-and-get/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [I'd rather be cocky than insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-be-cocky-than-insecure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The thing about people from Chicago and the Northwest suburbs is that they're very cocky. I think that serves us well in the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/the-thing-about-people-from-chicago-and-the-northwest-suburbs-is-that/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Me: Breathe if you find me attractive Entire human race: \*dies from lack of oxygen\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-thomason/me-breathe-if-you-find-me-attractive-entire-human-race-dies-from-lack/) [Jazmin Thomason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-thomason/) > [I don't mean to be cocky, but if I'm never on TV again, if I never make another dollar, I am proud. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/i-don-t-mean-to-be-cocky-but-if-i-m-never-on-tv-again-if-i-never-make/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) Browse all 536 Cocky quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said, 'Yeah, I'm going to play in the NBA.' Everybody was like, 'Who is this kid? He is cocky.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evan Fournier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was-14-i-said-yeah-i-m-going-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cocky" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was-14-i-said-yeah-i-m-going-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/evan-fournier-5766_cocky_growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was_88169.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Growing up, my first interview when I was 14, I said, 'Yeah, I'm going to play in the NBA.' Everybody was…” — Evan Fournier", "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": "Evan Fournier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-fournier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Growing up, my first interview when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was-14-i-said-yeah-i-m-going-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fournier/growing-up-my-first-interview-when-i-was-14-i-said-yeah-i-m-going-to/#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 } } ] } ```