--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first professional game that I ever…" description: "\"The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional career.\" — Julius Erving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg" --- # The first professional game that I ever played remains, to… ![“The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional career.” quote by Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg) > “The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional career.” [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The first professional game left a lasting, exhilarating impression on his career. **In simple terms:** His debut game was the most exciting career moment. Key Takeaway Cherish and recall early successes for motivation. Themes sports career memory Mood inspirational nostalgic Type sports personal When to use this quote - team meetings - coaching sessions - motivational speeches - personal journaling Key Concepts personal milestones career highlights Questions to Reflect On - What made that game stand out? - How can you recreate that excitement today? A Different Perspective Early excitement may fade; later experiences can be equally impactful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Professional career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-career/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [For me, fashion should always be evolving so it remains exciting and unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/for-me-fashion-should-always-be-evolving-so-it-remains-exciting-and/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [I grabbed 19 rebounds in my first professional game, and somehow found a way to score 20 points. I felt real good about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-grabbed-19-rebounds-in-my-first-professional-game-and-somehow-found/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [There's no more exciting moment for me as a brand strategist than a turnaround.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bozoma-saint-john/there-s-no-more-exciting-moment-for-me-as-a-brand-strategist-than-a/) [Bozoma Saint John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bozoma-saint-john/) > [The way your parents try to talk to you about politics and pull you to their side, that's an exciting moment in your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/the-way-your-parents-try-to-talk-to-you-about-politics-and-pull-you/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [It is an exciting moment in my career to be a part of a huge project like 'Bharat.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/it-is-an-exciting-moment-in-my-career-to-be-a-part-of-a-huge-project/) [Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/) > [If you don't expect to like someone and then you do, that's an incredibly exciting moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/if-you-don-t-expect-to-like-someone-and-then-you-do-that-s-an/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [The moment you can learn to deal with homosexuality in art, it's quite an exciting moment, just as in a sense when people 'come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/the-moment-you-can-learn-to-deal-with-homosexuality-in-art-it-s-quite/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [When people hit on feeling a certain melancholy or elation, it's a really exciting moment. I think making that connection is the goal, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/when-people-hit-on-feeling-a-certain-melancholy-or-elation-it-s-a/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [That Exciting moment when you can't even sleep, cause you know there's somthing big about to happen the next day, (Good or bad).!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syoung/that-exciting-moment-when-you-can-t-even-sleep-cause-you-know-there-s/) Syoung > [It's sad that some people who have one exciting moment spend the rest of their lives rehashing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/it-s-sad-that-some-people-who-have-one-exciting-moment-spend-the-rest/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Our officials want nothing more than to be at the top of their professional game and make the correct call. That's what they do;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stern/our-officials-want-nothing-more-than-to-be-at-the-top-of-their/) [David Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stern/) > [I am passionate about grass-roots football providing a pathway to careers in the professional game, and I have seen a big step forward in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/i-am-passionate-about-grass-roots-football-providing-a-pathway-to/) [Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/) > [When you are a professional, you go into the next game wanting to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-gunnar-solskjaer/when-you-are-a-professional-you-go-into-the-next-game-wanting-to-win/) [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-gunnar-solskjaer/) > [Obviously I never played the Walker Cup because winning the Irish Open at Baltray in 2009 changed everything and I jumped over to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/obviously-i-never-played-the-walker-cup-because-winning-the-irish/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) ## More by Julius Erving > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [You know, just in terms of having to have a life on the road, you know, having the celebrity aspect be a burden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/you-know-just-in-terms-of-having-to-have-a-life-on-the-road-you-know/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [But you know, we have a very normal family. We've had our ups and downs. You know, we've had our issues, but we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/but-you-know-we-have-a-very-normal-family-we-ve-had-our-ups-and-downs/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [LA Clippers should come to Louisville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/la-clippers-should-come-to-louisville/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/being-a-professional-is-doing-the-things-you-love-to-do-on-the-days/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think I was chosen by basketball, although I never really physically got drafted to any team that I played for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-i-was-chosen-by-basketball-although-i-never-really-physically/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [As a kid, I played a lot of one-on-none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/as-a-kid-i-played-a-lot-of-one-on-none/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Goals determine what you are going to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/goals-determine-what-you-are-going-to-be/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I demand more from myself than anybody could ever expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-demand-more-from-myself-than-anybody-could-ever-expect/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that I'm built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-that-my-god-given-physical-attributes-big-hands-and-big-feet/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I played, the owners had the power. The prisoners are running the prison now, not the warden. The warden is strong and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-played-the-owners-had-the-power-the-prisoners-are-running-the/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/if-you-don-t-do-what-s-best-for-your-body-you-re-the-one-who-comes-up/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I always try to keep a pretty conservative demeanor on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-always-try-to-keep-a-pretty-conservative-demeanor-on-the-court/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) [Explore all 67 Julius Erving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## 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": "The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional career.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julius Erving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever-played-remains-to-me-the-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever-played-remains-to-me-the-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/julius-erving-10131_basketball_the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever_1934854.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first professional game that I ever played remains, to me, the most exciting moment of my professional…” — Julius Erving", "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": "Julius Erving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first professional game that I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever-played-remains-to-me-the-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/the-first-professional-game-that-i-ever-played-remains-to-me-the-most/#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 } } ] } ```