Back Quote by Gilbert Arenas
“If you have a kid that loves basketball - that eats, sleeps, drinks, and thinks basketball, and all he knows is basketball - and he gets hurt, and he's your franchise player, you need to hold him back from himself.”
About This Quote
The quote advises that when a talented young athlete becomes overly obsessed with their sport, especially after injury, mentors should protect them from self-destructive behavior.
In simple terms: Protect over‑focused athletes from self‑harm.
Key Takeaway
Guide and set limits.
Themes
sports
mentorship
health
Mood
cautionary
motivational
Type
advice
observational
When to use this quote
- coaching
- injury recovery
- career planning
Key Concepts
over‑identification
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance encouragement with protection?
- What signs indicate a player is self‑sabotaging?
A Different Perspective
Athlete may resist external control.
![“I failed, I think, seven [or] eight times before I finally got my first [championship]. It was just, you know, just about me growing up. Now that I'm an old, old veteran-age 29-I do things a lot differently. I don't go to the gentlemen's clubs anymore. I had to slow that down.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08f/shaquille-o-neal-659_age_i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-be_2731.jpg)
