---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got…"
description: "\"My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so hard that I was looking at plane ti..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/joel-embiid-6639_grown-man_my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got_107070.jpg"
---

#  My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard…

![“My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so hard that I was looking at plane tickets home. This guy was a senior. He was a grown man. I didn't know what was going on. He got his own rebound and dunked over me so hard that…” quote by Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/joel-embiid-6639_grown-man_my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got_107070.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/joel-embiid-6639_grown-man_my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got_107070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aad/joel-embiid-6639_grown-man_my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got_107070.jpg)

> “My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so hard that I was looking at plane tickets home. This guy was a senior. He was a grown man. I didn't know what was going on. He got his own rebound and dunked over me so hard that everything went in slow motion.”

[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.

A humiliating early defeat in basketball can feel overwhelming, yet it also highlights the intensity of competition and the drive to improve.

**In simple terms:** Early loss fuels determination.

Key Takeaway

Adversity can motivate growth.

Themes

sports resilience personal development

Mood

determined humorous

Type

personal anecdote

When to use this quote

- rookie training
- team bonding
- performance reviews

Key Concepts

mental toughness growth mindset

Practical Applications

- use setbacks as learning moments
- set incremental performance goals

Questions to Reflect On

- How does a single setback shape long‑term performance?
- What support structures help athletes recover from humiliation?

A Different Perspective

The anecdote may romanticize failure without addressing systemic support needed for improvement.

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