---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People ask me if I'd permit fancy things…"
description: "\"People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No behind-the-back dribbles or passes unless ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg"
---

#  People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks…

![“People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No behind-the-back dribbles or passes unless necessary. If it was for show, you were on the bench.” quote by John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg)

> “People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No behind-the-back dribbles or passes unless necessary. If it was for show, you were on the bench.”

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates simple, fundamental basketball play, rejecting flashy moves unless necessary, stressing teamwork and efficiency.

**In simple terms:** Prefer basic, effective play over showmanship.

Key Takeaway

Focus on fundamentals and teamwork.

Themes

teamwork efficiency humility

Mood

thoughtful pragmatic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- coaching clinics
- player development
- team drills
- game planning

Key Concepts

fundamental skills strategic simplicity

Questions to Reflect On

- When is flair appropriate?
- How to balance simplicity and innovation?

A Different Perspective

May limit creative expression in certain contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Fancy things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fancy-things/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I wanted to be a complete player, and I felt like the dunks started to overshadow other parts of my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/i-wanted-to-be-a-complete-player-and-i-felt-like-the-dunks-started-to/)

[Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/)

> [It's like when someone dunks... and they scream. It's all part of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wiggins/it-s-like-when-someone-dunks-and-they-scream-it-s-all-part-of-the-game/)

[Andrew Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wiggins/)

> [When I was in the dunk contest, DeMar DeRozan actually did the dunk I was about to do before me. That was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/when-i-was-in-the-dunk-contest-demar-derozan-actually-did-the-dunk-i/)

[Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/)

> [A lot of people have fancy things to say about customer service, but it's just a day-in, day-out, ongoing, never-ending, persevering, compassionate kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mccormick/a-lot-of-people-have-fancy-things-to-say-about-customer-service-but/)

Christopher McCormick

> [You will notice that the work is simple obedience. It is not complicated things, it is not fancy things or getting great spiritual manifestations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/you-will-notice-that-the-work-is-simple-obedience-it-is-not/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [“The fancy things I like are sheets. Pots and pans. And the things I really like aren't fancy at all: old aprons and hankies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg-open-house/the-fancy-things-i-like-are-sheets-pots-and-pans-and-the-things-i/)

Elizabeth Berg, Open House

> [Ive never been the type of guy thats ever needed a lot of things or any fancy things, but my lifelong goal has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-farr/ive-never-been-the-type-of-guy-thats-ever-needed-a-lot-of-things-or/)

[Tyler Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-farr/)

> [Instead of buying a guitar for $2,000 or $2,500 - I'm not sure how much these are going for - but it's maybe $300…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/instead-of-buying-a-guitar-for-2-000-or-2-500-i-m-not-sure-how-much/)

[John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/)

> [I always wanted cars, fancy things and the only way I could get that was through my sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/i-always-wanted-cars-fancy-things-and-the-only-way-i-could-get-that/)

[Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/)

> [I'm working hard to have a good life. You don't need fancy things to feel good. You can hug a puppy. You can buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/i-m-working-hard-to-have-a-good-life-you-don-t-need-fancy-things-to/)

[Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/)

> [I don't really hype myself up with fancy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taeyang/i-don-t-really-hype-myself-up-with-fancy-things/)

[Taeyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taeyang/)

> [“God gave the World to Men in Common; But since he gave it them for their benefit, and the greatest Conveniencies of life they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/god-gave-the-world-to-men-in-common-but-since-he-gave-it-them-for/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [I'm not a big car person. I'm not into lots of fancy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/i-m-not-a-big-car-person-i-m-not-into-lots-of-fancy-things/)

[Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/)

> [Just like I'm the king on the microphone, so is Dr. J and Moses Malone I like slam dunks, take me to the hoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurtis-blow/just-like-i-m-the-king-on-the-microphone-so-is-dr-j-and-moses-malone/)

[Kurtis Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurtis-blow/)

> [Some New York bands you'll see rocking Ones or Dunks and things like that, but it is weird that the sneakerhead thing has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gourley/some-new-york-bands-you-ll-see-rocking-ones-or-dunks-and-things-like/)

[John Gourley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gourley/)

## More by John Wooden

> [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/)

> [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [“It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. -John wooden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-so-important-who-starts-the-game-but-who-finishes-it-john/)

[John wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [“I remain convinced to this day that compassion like that—sincerely caring for your players and maintaining an active interest in their lives, concerns, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-remain-convinced-to-this-day-that-compassion-like-that-sincerely/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I'm going to say I'm opposed to war. But I'm also opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-m-not-going-to-say-i-was-opposed-to-the-vietnam-war-i-m-going-to/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating...too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/being-a-role-model-is-the-most-powerful-form-of-educating-too-often/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Each of us has a huge capacity to learn and to achieve. Being ever alert makes the task of becoming all we are capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/each-of-us-has-a-huge-capacity-to-learn-and-to-achieve-being-ever/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/stay-the-course-when-thwarted-try-again-harder-smarter-persevere/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Love is the most powerful four letter word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/love-is-the-most-powerful-four-letter-word/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [It takes 10 hands to score a basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-takes-10-hands-to-score-a-basket/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [The best competition I have is against myself to become better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-best-competition-i-have-is-against-myself-to-become-better/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/whether-you-know-it-or-not-whether-you-like-it-or-not-the-habits-you/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/intensity-makes-you-stronger-emotionalism-makes-you-weaker/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/reputation-is-what-others-perceive-you-as-being-and-their-opinion-may/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

[Explore all 578 John Wooden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

## More Ask me quotes

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/)

[Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/)

> [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/)

[Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/)

> [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/)

[Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/)

> [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/)

[Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/)

> [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/)

[Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/)

> [When a young artist asks me a question, I want to do what I can to give them an answer if I have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tait/when-a-young-artist-asks-me-a-question-i-want-to-do-what-i-can-to/)

[Michael Tait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tait/)

> [I've never asked a girl out in my life, they have to ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-never-asked-a-girl-out-in-my-life-they-have-to-ask-me/)

[Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/)

> [I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-would-do-almost-anything-tina-fey-asks-me-to-do/)

[Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/)

> [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

Browse all 1,282 Ask me quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No behind-the-back dribbles or passes unless necessary. If it was for show, you were on the bench.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Wooden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things-like-dunks-well-if-they-did/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ask me"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things-like-dunks-well-if-they-did/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/john-wooden-420_ask-me_people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things_3210758.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People ask me if I'd permit fancy things, like dunks. Well, if they did dunk, it was with no fancy flair. No…” — John Wooden",
                "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 Wooden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "People ask me if I'd permit...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things-like-dunks-well-if-they-did/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/people-ask-me-if-i-d-permit-fancy-things-like-dunks-well-if-they-did/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
