--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was younger, I used to always…" description: "\"When I was younger, I used to always think making it to the NBA would be the coolest thing in the world. I'd dream about it every day. But as you progr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/jamal-crawford-6149_coolest-thing_when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-always-thin_123843.jpg" --- # When I was younger, I used to always think making it to… ![“When I was younger, I used to always think making it to the NBA would be the coolest thing in the world. I'd dream about it every day. But as you progress and you attain that goal, then you realize the coolest thing is the effect you can have on people, and kids especially.” quote by Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/jamal-crawford-6149_coolest-thing_when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-always-thin_123843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/jamal-crawford-6149_coolest-thing_when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-always-thin_123843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/jamal-crawford-6149_coolest-thing_when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-always-thin_123843.jpg) > “When I was younger, I used to always think making it to the NBA would be the coolest thing in the world. I'd dream about it every day. But as you progress and you attain that goal, then you realize the coolest thing is the effect you can have on people, and kids especially.” [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initially chasing fame, the speaker discovers that true fulfillment lies in influencing and inspiring others, especially youth. **In simple terms:** Impact on people matters more than personal glory. Key Takeaway Legacy is measured by influence, not accolades. Themes personal growth mentorship purpose Mood reflective inspirational Type personal testimony motivational quote When to use this quote - Retiring athletes mentoring younger players - Public figures using platforms for advocacy - Professionals shifting focus to community service Key Concepts self‑actualization social responsibility Practical Applications - Create mentorship programs - Share personal stories to inspire Questions to Reflect On - How do I define success beyond personal achievement? - What steps can I take to amplify my positive impact? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“In the scriptures you will find the way to realize God. But after getting all the information about the path, you must begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-ramakrishna/in-the-scriptures-you-will-find-the-way-to-realize-god-but-after/) [Sri Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-ramakrishna/) > [Happiness is a process of understanding our power to attain a goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/happiness-is-a-process-of-understanding-our-power-to-attain-a-goal/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [“one is that you attain the goal and realize the shocking realization that attaining the goal does not complete or redeem you, does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/one-is-that-you-attain-the-goal-and-realize-the-shocking-realization/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Men and women who come to the closing chapter of life disappointed because they did not attain the goal which they had set their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/men-and-women-who-come-to-the-closing-chapter-of-life-disappointed/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I have to give a lot of credit to David Stern to open up the league, but also in my case, Jerry West and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlade-divac/i-have-to-give-a-lot-of-credit-to-david-stern-to-open-up-the-league/) [Vlade Divac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vlade-divac/) > [If you know people around me, even in college, I was confident, but the possible thought of making it to the NBA was crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mitchell/if-you-know-people-around-me-even-in-college-i-was-confident-but-the/) [Donovan Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mitchell/) > [I actually think if you have a strong junior class, that's the best possible scenario. In their senior year, guys who are on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-pitino/i-actually-think-if-you-have-a-strong-junior-class-that-s-the-best/) [Rick Pitino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-pitino/) > [It's been a dream come true, you know, just making it to the NBA and being drafted by a great franchise like Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-tatum/it-s-been-a-dream-come-true-you-know-just-making-it-to-the-nba-and/) [Jayson Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-tatum/) > [I ask myself what my father would think of me making it to the NBA every day. I hope he's proud. I hope he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/i-ask-myself-what-my-father-would-think-of-me-making-it-to-the-nba/) [Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/) > [I'm blessed just making it to the NBA. That was my first goal and dream. Playing with Kobe and Shaq and for a coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyronn-lue/i-m-blessed-just-making-it-to-the-nba-that-was-my-first-goal-and/) [Tyronn Lue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyronn-lue/) > [Obviously, Steve Nash making the NBA and becoming a two-time MVP gave us the hope that if we work hard, we might have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/obviously-steve-nash-making-the-nba-and-becoming-a-two-time-mvp-gave/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [What really pushed me into chasing basketball even more was my cousin making the NBA too, in 2003.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/what-really-pushed-me-into-chasing-basketball-even-more-was-my-cousin/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [Making it to the NBA is a big goal in my life, and one day I hope to conquer it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hardaway-jr/making-it-to-the-nba-is-a-big-goal-in-my-life-and-one-day-i-hope-to/) [Tim Hardaway Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hardaway-jr/) > [That's been the coolest thing about all this, I get to meet people that I worship!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/that-s-been-the-coolest-thing-about-all-this-i-get-to-meet-people/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [In 2001, I watched Kinder Bologna win the EuroLeague, and I thought, Damn, I want to the win that some day. I remember thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-rubio/in-2001-i-watched-kinder-bologna-win-the-euroleague-and-i-thought/) [Ricky Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-rubio/) ## More by Jamal Crawford > [You can be in shape forever, it takes one week to get out of shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/you-can-be-in-shape-forever-it-takes-one-week-to-get-out-of-shape/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I think you just have to be more aggressive when you come off the bench.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-think-you-just-have-to-be-more-aggressive-when-you-come-off-the/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [You look at my career, when the fit was right, I contributed on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/you-look-at-my-career-when-the-fit-was-right-i-contributed-on-the/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I've always loved coach Brett Brown. I've been on record. I've been a fan of his for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-ve-always-loved-coach-brett-brown-i-ve-been-on-record-i-ve-been-a/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I'm not the person that when he has an off shooting game is going to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-m-not-the-person-that-when-he-has-an-off-shooting-game-is-going-to/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I do what feels right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-do-what-feels-right/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I don't want to go to a team that's only won a few amount of games, but it doesn't have to be a contender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-don-t-want-to-go-to-a-team-that-s-only-won-a-few-amount-of-games/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I've been blessed enough where all the rules that come with age don't apply to me. People were saying I was old at 32.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-ve-been-blessed-enough-where-all-the-rules-that-come-with-age-don-t/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [When I was in college going through the draft process my dad was like, 'Hey Michael Jordan loves your game,' I'm like dad? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/when-i-was-in-college-going-through-the-draft-process-my-dad-was-like/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [It's always special when my kids come to my games. It changes everything. You know they're there watching and you know how excited they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/it-s-always-special-when-my-kids-come-to-my-games-it-changes/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I would get mad if Kobe was like, 'I'm not going to shoot that much tonight.' No, no, no, that's your gift. The people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-would-get-mad-if-kobe-was-like-i-m-not-going-to-shoot-that-much/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [Obviously, having your peers' respect is everything. I learned that a long time ago: that some people see you one way, some people see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/obviously-having-your-peers-respect-is-everything-i-learned-that-a/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [If you put it in perspective, I loved basketball before I loved everything else, you know what I mean? Before I had a girlfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/if-you-put-it-in-perspective-i-loved-basketball-before-i-loved/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [When you bring one of your top scorers, your top players off the bench, it really gives your team balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/when-you-bring-one-of-your-top-scorers-your-top-players-off-the-bench/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [I just hate being out of shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/i-just-hate-being-out-of-shape/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) [Explore all 99 Jamal Crawford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) ## More Coolest thing quotes > [In 2001, I watched Kinder Bologna win the EuroLeague, and I thought, Damn, I want to the win that some day. I remember thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-rubio/in-2001-i-watched-kinder-bologna-win-the-euroleague-and-i-thought/) [Ricky Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-rubio/) > [That's been the coolest thing about all this, I get to meet people that I worship!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/that-s-been-the-coolest-thing-about-all-this-i-get-to-meet-people/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [You think you're doing the coolest thing in the world when you're a teenager and you like someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/you-think-you-re-doing-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world-when-you-re-a/) [Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/) > [The coolest thing, too, is that people that have never even seen 'One Tree Hill' tell me, 'I love your music.' And I'm like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-kramer/the-coolest-thing-too-is-that-people-that-have-never-even-seen-one/) [Jana Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-kramer/) > [The coolest thing to me, and especially now that our program is PG-friendly, and we advertise that to the hilt, but fathers and mothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/the-coolest-thing-to-me-and-especially-now-that-our-program-is-pg/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [The coolest thing is when you don’t care about being cool anymore. Indifference is the greatest aphrodisiac - that’s what really sums up style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/the-coolest-thing-is-when-you-don-t-care-about-being-cool-anymore/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [I got into DJing because that was the coolest thing to do and I've never looked back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-blue/i-got-into-djing-because-that-was-the-coolest-thing-to-do-and-i-ve/) [Jonas Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-blue/) > [I am the first to admit my iPad is the coolest thing in the world, but when we can be in a room together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiklis/i-am-the-first-to-admit-my-ipad-is-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world-but/) [Michael Chiklis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiklis/) > [Because I was such a student of pop culture growing up, I love that on the list of things that I got to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/because-i-was-such-a-student-of-pop-culture-growing-up-i-love-that-on/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [The coolest thing ever to me is just somebody looking up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/the-coolest-thing-ever-to-me-is-just-somebody-looking-up-to-me/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [“blue. True? False? What’s the coolest thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tui-t-sutherland/blue-true-false-what-s-the-coolest-thing/) [Tui T. Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tui-t-sutherland/) > [I've done a collaboration with Action Bronson, which is, like, the coolest thing I've done so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-ve-done-a-collaboration-with-action-bronson-which-is-like-the/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to be in an NFL office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-taylor/i-thought-it-was-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world-to-be-in-an-nfl-office/) [Zac Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-taylor/) > [The coolest thing you can become is yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-federle/the-coolest-thing-you-can-become-is-yourself/) [Tim Federle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-federle/) > [Ever since I've been a little kid I've always wanted superpowers, which is the coolest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/ever-since-i-ve-been-a-little-kid-i-ve-always-wanted-superpowers/) [Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/) Browse all 48 Coolest thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was younger, I used to always think making it to the NBA would be the coolest thing in the world. 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