--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If basketball was going to enable Bradley…" description: "\"“If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the next fellow, to prove that he could do witho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg" --- # If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends… ![“If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the next fellow, to prove that he could do without being the greatest-end-ever at Missouri, to prove that he was not chicken, and to live up to his mother's championship standards, and if he was…” quote by John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg) > ““If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the next fellow, to prove that he could do without being the greatest-end-ever at Missouri, to prove that he was not chicken, and to live up to his mother's championship standards, and if he was going to have some moments left over to savor his delight in the game, he obviously needed considerable practice, so he borrowed keys to the gym and set a schedule for himself that he adhereded to for four full years—in the school year, three and a half hours every day after school, nine to five on Saturday, one-thirty to five on Sunday, and, in the summer, about three hours a day.”” [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dedication and relentless practice can transform a personal passion into skill, confidence, and social connection. **In simple terms:** Hard work turns passion into ability and belonging. Key Takeaway Commit to disciplined practice. Themes determination skill development social belonging Mood focused optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - team sports - academic pursuits - career training - personal hobbies Key Concepts growth mindset deliberate practice self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How does routine practice shape identity? - What role does community play in sustaining effort? A Different Perspective Practice alone does not guarantee success without feedback and adaptation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bradley/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Gym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gym/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Nine To Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine-to-five/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [School Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-year/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/whoever-is-going-to-listen-to-the-philosophers-needs-a-considerable/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Bradley is one of the few basketball players who have ever been appreciatively cheered by a disinterested away-from-home crowd while warming up. This curious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/bradley-is-one-of-the-few-basketball-players-who-have-ever-been/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [In terms of basketball decisions, I will always defer to Magic. He's brought a vision of the kind of team we're going to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanie-buss/in-terms-of-basketball-decisions-i-will-always-defer-to-magic-he-s/) [Jeanie Buss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanie-buss/) > [It's basketball and there are going to be things that change with who's injured and who isn't or who is playing and who isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-ingles/it-s-basketball-and-there-are-going-to-be-things-that-change-with-who/) [Joe Ingles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-ingles/) > [Music was definitely a way out. Instead of playing basketball, I was going to recording studios.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flo-rida/music-was-definitely-a-way-out-instead-of-playing-basketball-i-was/) [Flo Rida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flo-rida/) > [Everyone thought I was going to die like a year later, they didn't know. So I helped educate sports, and then the world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/everyone-thought-i-was-going-to-die-like-a-year-later-they-didn-t/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [You work hard and you drill daily all the habits that you need to win at basketball and you're going to create a winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vogel/you-work-hard-and-you-drill-daily-all-the-habits-that-you-need-to-win/) [Frank Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vogel/) > [I like playing basketball and going to the gym. I don't box, but I'll ride my bike and go jogging or running in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-like-playing-basketball-and-going-to-the-gym-i-don-t-box-but-i-ll/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I'm not the type of player to let the 3s get me down: 'Oh, I'm missing a couple of 3s. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/i-m-not-the-type-of-player-to-let-the-3s-get-me-down-oh-i-m-missing-a/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [Basketball is going to stop someday. But friendships are going to last forever. That's something you can't buy with money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaza-pachulia/basketball-is-going-to-stop-someday-but-friendships-are-going-to-last/) [Zaza Pachulia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaza-pachulia/) > [Hell, I'm going to play pro basketball. I'm going to maybe be famous. I'm going to write books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/hell-i-m-going-to-play-pro-basketball-i-m-going-to-maybe-be-famous-i/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I always tell the kids, basketball is not going to be there forever, get a good education and make good choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/i-always-tell-the-kids-basketball-is-not-going-to-be-there-forever/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [My father was always pushing me to become a basketball player. In Africa, when you're a kid, every kid loves to play soccer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/my-father-was-always-pushing-me-to-become-a-basketball-player-in/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I discovered early on that the player who learned the fundamentals of basketball is going to have a much better chance of succeeding and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-discovered-early-on-that-the-player-who-learned-the-fundamentals-of/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The only thing that matters in college basketball is going to the Final Four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/the-only-thing-that-matters-in-college-basketball-is-going-to-the/) [Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/) ## More by John McPhee > [“For nonfiction projects, ideas are everywhere. They just go by in a ceaseless stream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/for-nonfiction-projects-ideas-are-everywhere-they-just-go-by-in-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [In making war with nature, there was risk of loss in winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/in-making-war-with-nature-there-was-risk-of-loss-in-winning/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“I’d much rather watch people do what they do than talk to them across a desk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/i-d-much-rather-watch-people-do-what-they-do-than-talk-to-them-across/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [I used to sit in class and listen to the terms come floating down the room like paper airplanes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/i-used-to-sit-in-class-and-listen-to-the-terms-come-floating-down-the/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“A lead is good not because it dances, fires cannons, or whistles like a train but because it is absolute to what follows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/a-lead-is-good-not-because-it-dances-fires-cannons-or-whistles-like-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“Since most callers have until moments before been completely unaware that there are bears in New Jersey, there is often in their voices a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/since-most-callers-have-until-moments-before-been-completely-unaware/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“Incandescent carbon particles, by the tens of millions, leap free of the log and wave like banners, as flame. Several hundred significantly different chemical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/incandescent-carbon-particles-by-the-tens-of-millions-leap-free-of/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“If you have to ask that question, you wouldn't understand the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-you-have-to-ask-that-question-you-wouldn-t-understand-the-answer/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [Almost all Americans would recognize Anchorage, because Anchorage is that part of any city where the city has burst its seams and extruded Colonel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/almost-all-americans-would-recognize-anchorage-because-anchorage-is/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“The doctor listens in with a stethoscope and hears sounds of a warpath Indian drum. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/the-doctor-listens-in-with-a-stethoscope-and-hears-sounds-of-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [On a certain scale, it does look like I do a lot. But that’s my day, all day long, sitting there wondering when I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/on-a-certain-scale-it-does-look-like-i-do-a-lot-but-that-s-my-day-all/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“There is no Weatherfax map on the Stella Lykes—only the barometer, the barographs, the teletypes from NOAA. The radar can see a storm, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/there-is-no-weatherfax-map-on-the-stella-lykes-only-the-barometer-the/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [He (Dave Brower) is an emotionalist in an age of dangerous reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/he-dave-brower-is-an-emotionalist-in-an-age-of-dangerous-reason/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [Taking things from one source is plagiarism; taking things from several sources is research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/taking-things-from-one-source-is-plagiarism-taking-things-from/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [“On his way home, Giberson met the Devil himself at a bridge. The Devil told him to play his violin, and while Giberson played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/on-his-way-home-giberson-met-the-devil-himself-at-a-bridge-the-devil/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) [Explore all 57 John McPhee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the next fellow, to prove that he could do without being the greatest-end-ever at Missouri, to prove that he was not chicken, and to live up to his mother's championship standards, and if he was going to have some moments left over to savor his delight in the game, he obviously needed considerable practice, so he borrowed keys to the gym and set a schedule for himself that he adhereded to for four full years—in the school year, three and a half hours every day after school, nine to five on Saturday, one-thirty to five on Sunday, and, in the summer, about three hours a day.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McPhee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradley-to-make-friends-to-prove/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradley-to-make-friends-to-prove/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/john-mcphee-11840_basketball_if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradle_513438.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If basketball was going to enable Bradley to make friends, to prove that a banker's son is as good as the…” — John McPhee", "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": "John McPhee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If basketball was going to enable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradley-to-make-friends-to-prove/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/if-basketball-was-going-to-enable-bradley-to-make-friends-to-prove/#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 } } ] } ```