--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, we have to focus on the next…" description: "\"You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one way to do that is to reach back out, pull them along, and give opportunities to people that a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg" --- # You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one… ![“You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one way to do that is to reach back out, pull them along, and give opportunities to people that are very deserving and worthy, but maybe won't get this chance due to their background or their age.” quote by Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg) > “You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one way to do that is to reach back out, pull them along, and give opportunities to people that are very deserving and worthy, but maybe won't get this chance due to their background or their age.” [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advocates for mentorship, urging established individuals to lift up under‑represented talent by offering opportunities and support. **In simple terms:** Help the next generation by mentoring those lacking access. Key Takeaway Provide mentorship and equitable opportunities. Themes mentorship equity opportunity community generational support Mood inspirational determined Type social educational When to use this quote - sports programs - career fairs - scholarships - networking events Key Concepts social justice leadership inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How can mentors address structural inequities? - What resources best empower the underserved? A Different Perspective Mentorship alone cannot fix systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generation Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-way-1633274/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities/) [Opportunities People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities-people-1048253/) [People Deserving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-deserving-4521515/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [There's a million people I could name who are more deserving of the parts that I get and the life that I'm living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/there-s-a-million-people-i-could-name-who-are-more-deserving-of-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I think my generation is a lost generation in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-muhly/i-think-my-generation-is-a-lost-generation-in-a-way/) [Nico Muhly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-muhly/) > [I'm not the type to generalise about an entire generation. I think the most general thing I can say, is that things are way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-baio/i-m-not-the-type-to-generalise-about-an-entire-generation-i-think-the/) [Chris Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-baio/) > [You can give a bunch of opportunities to people, but if they are not ambitious, nothing is going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-reyez/you-can-give-a-bunch-of-opportunities-to-people-but-if-they-are-not/) [Jessie Reyez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-reyez/) > [If we create enough new companies, there will be additional opportunities for people at every rung of the educational ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/if-we-create-enough-new-companies-there-will-be-additional/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [The future of America is not an entitlement. We have been given a treasure chest of gifts and opportunities, but some people are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/the-future-of-america-is-not-an-entitlement-we-have-been-given-a/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Tech gives people more opportunities to be themselves in front of other people. Sometimes that's great; sometimes it's bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-garratt/tech-gives-people-more-opportunities-to-be-themselves-in-front-of/) [Jack Garratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-garratt/) > [Ive been given work opportunities that many people would kill for quite frankly so you have to look at life in that perspective and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sinha/ive-been-given-work-opportunities-that-many-people-would-kill-for/) [Paul Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sinha/) > [If you're not in the right classification, you're basically stealing funding and opportunities from other people. This is not the NFL. There's only so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/if-you-re-not-in-the-right-classification-you-re-basically-stealing/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [If you create great opportunities, people around the world will come support your dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/if-you-create-great-opportunities-people-around-the-world-will-come/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [There are so many things we can do to make sure they get those opportunities. People with disability are ready to go - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/there-are-so-many-things-we-can-do-to-make-sure-they-get-those/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [I'm a recording artist who's traveled around the world so I have different opportunities than other people and people may decide how I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrisette-michele/i-m-a-recording-artist-who-s-traveled-around-the-world-so-i-have/) [Chrisette Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrisette-michele/) > [Providing career growth and development opportunities for our people is of paramount importance, and that's why we surround and support our diverse employee team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-doughtie/providing-career-growth-and-development-opportunities-for-our-people/) [Lynne Doughtie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-doughtie/) > [A lot of my friends do creative things and are doing really well at what they do - some writers, some artists. I'm in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/a-lot-of-my-friends-do-creative-things-and-are-doing-really-well-at/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [You cannot make your opportunities concur with the opportunities of people whose incomes are ten times greater than yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-cannot-make-your-opportunities-concur-with-the-opportunities-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## More by Fred VanVleet > [At the end of the day, winning games is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/at-the-end-of-the-day-winning-games-is-the-only-thing-that-matters/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [We have people who work in regular jobs that come up to us and tell us that they hate their job and they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/we-have-people-who-work-in-regular-jobs-that-come-up-to-us-and-tell/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I mean, I was one of the best college players in my four years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-mean-i-was-one-of-the-best-college-players-in-my-four-years/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I come from one of those communities that's forgotten about and not paid attention to. Growing up, there were a lot of times where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-come-from-one-of-those-communities-that-s-forgotten-about-and-not/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Our parents busted their butts to make us feel like we weren't broke and in our neighbourhood we were probably more well off than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/our-parents-busted-their-butts-to-make-us-feel-like-we-weren-t-broke/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [You kind of don't know what you can't do until you get out there and do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/you-kind-of-don-t-know-what-you-can-t-do-until-you-get-out-there-and/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [There's no other way for me to achieve any of the things I've achieved individually other than to be insanely confident and crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/there-s-no-other-way-for-me-to-achieve-any-of-the-things-i-ve/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I'm not the most amazing athlete - I understand that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-m-not-the-most-amazing-athlete-i-understand-that/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I was in my share of fights whether I'd be outside or in the house with my brothers, so I've always had quick hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-was-in-my-share-of-fights-whether-i-d-be-outside-or-in-the-house/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [My whole mind-set growing up was that I was not going to let myself be one of those Rockford people who didn't pan out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/my-whole-mind-set-growing-up-was-that-i-was-not-going-to-let-myself/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [No one expects an 18-year-old kid to know exactly what path they'll take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/no-one-expects-an-18-year-old-kid-to-know-exactly-what-path-they-ll/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Toronto has become my second home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/toronto-has-become-my-second-home/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I've always had the instinct and I always have the mind to make the right play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-ve-always-had-the-instinct-and-i-always-have-the-mind-to-make-the/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I don't have to tell people that I value winning. Look at my story, do your research, I've never been on a losing team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-don-t-have-to-tell-people-that-i-value-winning-look-at-my-story-do/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Early as I can remember, I was always next to the coaches trying to pick their brains and just learn how to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/early-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-next-to-the-coaches-trying-to/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) [Explore all 99 Fred VanVleet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one way to do that is to reach back out, pull them along, and give opportunities to people that are very deserving and worthy, but maybe won't get this chance due to their background or their age.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred VanVleet" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-generation-and-one-way-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-generation-and-one-way-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fred-vanvleet-6190_age_you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-ge_2997050.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know, we have to focus on the next generation and one way to do that is to reach back out, pull them…” — Fred VanVleet", "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": "Fred VanVleet", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know, we have to focus...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-generation-and-one-way-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/you-know-we-have-to-focus-on-the-next-generation-and-one-way-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```