--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started playing basketball so late, it…" description: "\"I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.\" — Joel Embiid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg" --- # I started playing basketball so late, it just means that… ![“I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.” quote by Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg) > “I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.” [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Starting late shows that perseverance can overcome early disadvantages, proving possibilities are open. **In simple terms:** Late starts can still succeed. Key Takeaway Persist despite timing. Themes perseverance possibility growth Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - learning new skills - career changes - fitness goals - academic pursuits Key Concepts sports psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to begin now? - How can you leverage late experience? A Different Perspective Late starters may face age bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything-is-possible/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-late-353381/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Means Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-possible-273209/) [Playing basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-basketball/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Started Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-playing-257076/) ## Related quotes > [I started playing basketball at such a late age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/i-started-playing-basketball-at-such-a-late-age/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [I started playing basketball very late, and for me to make it to the league so fast... I've always said my life is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-started-playing-basketball-very-late-and-for-me-to-make-it-to-the/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [It's better to have a good player with the basketball in late game situations than to have plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-pitino/it-s-better-to-have-a-good-player-with-the-basketball-in-late-game/) [Rick Pitino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-pitino/) > [If we have made a specific transition, what it means is that anything is possible right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drunvalo-melchizedek/if-we-have-made-a-specific-transition-what-it-means-is-that-anything/) [Drunvalo Melchizedek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drunvalo-melchizedek/) > [Back in 2011, I was kind of shy. I wasn't as good because that was the year, also, when I started playing basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/back-in-2011-i-was-kind-of-shy-i-wasn-t-as-good-because-that-was-the/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Garner knowledge, by any means possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/garner-knowledge-by-any-means-possible/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [I started playing basketball when I was about three years old. After that, everything else just came naturally. I had older cousins that used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-jennings/i-started-playing-basketball-when-i-was-about-three-years-old-after/) [Brandon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-jennings/) > [I started playing basketball when I was 6 or 7. I wasn't strong enough to shoot the correct way, so I just used two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/i-started-playing-basketball-when-i-was-6-or-7-i-wasn-t-strong-enough/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [If we go back to when I first started playing basketball, I watched Diana Taurasi play when I was 10, and that's who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/if-we-go-back-to-when-i-first-started-playing-basketball-i-watched/) [Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/) > [Since I first started playing basketball, I have just loved it, and nothing has ever made me lose that love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/since-i-first-started-playing-basketball-i-have-just-loved-it-and/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [I started playing baseball and soccer. Those were my sports on the streets and in school when I was growing up. I didn't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/i-started-playing-baseball-and-soccer-those-were-my-sports-on-the/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [An artist's job is to surprise himself. Use all means possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/an-artist-s-job-is-to-surprise-himself-use-all-means-possible/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything’s possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/each-day-means-a-new-twenty-four-hours-each-day-means-everything-s/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/each-day-means-a-new-twenty-four-hours-each-day-means-everything-s-2/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) ## More by Joel Embiid > [If I play against you the first time - or it doesn't even have to be the first time - and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/if-i-play-against-you-the-first-time-or-it-doesn-t-even-have-to-be/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I look at myself, I'm not a big man - I'm a guard. I can do everything on the basketball court. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-look-at-myself-i-m-not-a-big-man-i-m-a-guard-i-can-do/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [If I feel great and my body feels great and my knee is fine, I should play 30 minutes or more. I definitely have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/if-i-feel-great-and-my-body-feels-great-and-my-knee-is-fine-i-should/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got-dunked-on-so-hard-by-tarik/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [We're always going to be trusting the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/we-re-always-going-to-be-trusting-the-process/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [Sometimes, I feel like I'm lost. But I've always said that I believe in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/sometimes-i-feel-like-i-m-lost-but-i-ve-always-said-that-i-believe-in/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I play '2K,' I'll play in GM mode. And I choose different teams. But I always trade for myself because I'm unstoppable. Literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-play-2k-i-ll-play-in-gm-mode-and-i-choose-different-teams-but/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I want people to say that an African basketball player is the best player in the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-want-people-to-say-that-an-african-basketball-player-is-the-best/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I sat down with Under Armour, one of the first things we talked about was how this can be bigger than just shoes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-sat-down-with-under-armour-one-of-the-first-things-we-talked/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [One thing when I started playing in the league, I saw that a lot of guys are friendly. It's OK to be friendly, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/one-thing-when-i-started-playing-in-the-league-i-saw-that-a-lot-of/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [Everything in my life happens really fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/everything-in-my-life-happens-really-fast/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I had this DVD that my coach in Cameroon had mailed to me when I first came to America. It was an hour-long tape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-had-this-dvd-that-my-coach-in-cameroon-had-mailed-to-me-when-i/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I wanted to become president, and I wanted to become an astronaut. Because I was really good at math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-wanted-to-become-president-and-i-wanted-to-become-an-astronaut/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [When I started playing ball as a junior, I'm kind of glad that I was never good enough to be highly recruited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-started-playing-ball-as-a-junior-i-m-kind-of-glad-that-i-was/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [I'm really not an injury-prone player. I just had that one injury that took, like, two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-m-really-not-an-injury-prone-player-i-just-had-that-one-injury-that/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) [Explore all 98 Joel Embiid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) ## More Anything is possible quotes > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [As we've learned on a logistical level, anything is possible in the 'This Is Us' world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/as-we-ve-learned-on-a-logistical-level-anything-is-possible-in-the/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [To all the other dreamers out there, don't ever stop or let the world's negativity disenchant you or your spirit. If you surround yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-green/to-all-the-other-dreamers-out-there-don-t-ever-stop-or-let-the-world/) [Adam Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-green/) > [For me, it's a great thing to tell people anything is possible. When I was 15, people told me 'You're not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrojack/for-me-it-s-a-great-thing-to-tell-people-anything-is-possible-when-i/) [Afrojack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrojack/) > [Humanity? Humanity is not concerned with us. Today anything is allowed. Anything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/humanity-humanity-is-not-concerned-with-us-today-anything-is-allowed/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I'm a strong believer that if you keep your faith right, you'll make sure you get what you want out of life because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keyshia-cole/i-m-a-strong-believer-that-if-you-keep-your-faith-right-you-ll-make/) [Keyshia Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keyshia-cole/) > [I think somewhere around high school, your brain starts to gel, to harden. Before that, there’s this time where anything is possible and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mothersbaugh/i-think-somewhere-around-high-school-your-brain-starts-to-gel-to/) [Mark Mothersbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mothersbaugh/) > [I want you to remember the guiding principles of my life. You can be what you want to be, if you believe in yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-puckett/i-want-you-to-remember-the-guiding-principles-of-my-life-you-can-be/) [Kirby Puckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-puckett/) > [It's important to me that youth everywhere, no matter their race, religion, or gender, know that anything is possible with perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibtihaj-muhammad/it-s-important-to-me-that-youth-everywhere-no-matter-their-race/) [Ibtihaj Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibtihaj-muhammad/) > [If you believe in a dream and have the courage to try, anything is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-hansen/if-you-believe-in-a-dream-and-have-the-courage-to-try-anything-is/) [Rick Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-hansen/) > [For me going down in history being the first black American to win the gold, I think more colored people are going to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/for-me-going-down-in-history-being-the-first-black-american-to-win/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [Believe in yourself, Anything is possible no matter who you are, or where you come from. Find your path and stay on it, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-spears/believe-in-yourself-anything-is-possible-no-matter-who-you-are-or/) [Eddie Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-spears/) > [With LeBron, anything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-nance-jr/with-lebron-anything-is-possible/) [Larry Nance, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-nance-jr/) > [Anything, absolutely anything is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-searle/anything-absolutely-anything-is-possible/) [Debra Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-searle/) [Browse all 254 Anything is possible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything-is-possible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Embiid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it-just-means-that-anything-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anything is possible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it-just-means-that-anything-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22e/joel-embiid-6639_anything-is-possible_i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it_2437051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started playing basketball so late, it just means that anything is possible.” — Joel Embiid", "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": "Joel Embiid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started playing basketball so late,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it-just-means-that-anything-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/i-started-playing-basketball-so-late-it-just-means-that-anything-is/#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 } } ] } ```