--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think I might not be the best vertical…" description: "\"I think I might not be the best vertical athlete, but I think I'm quicker than people give me credit for. That was the biggest knock on me coming out o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/klay-thompson-35642_best_i-think-i-might-not-be-the-best-vertical_1274417.jpg" --- # I think I might not be the best vertical athlete, but I… ![“I think I might not be the best vertical athlete, but I think I'm quicker than people give me credit for. That was the biggest knock on me coming out of college.” quote by Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/klay-thompson-35642_best_i-think-i-might-not-be-the-best-vertical_1274417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/klay-thompson-35642_best_i-think-i-might-not-be-the-best-vertical_1274417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/klay-thompson-35642_best_i-think-i-might-not-be-the-best-vertical_1274417.jpg) > “I think I might not be the best vertical athlete, but I think I'm quicker than people give me credit for. That was the biggest knock on me coming out of college.” [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑doubt about being the best can coexist with confidence in specific strengths, highlighting personal growth areas. **In simple terms:** Not the best, but faster than expected. Key Takeaway Leverage speed while improving other skills. Themes self‑assessment confidence athletic performance growth Mood determined optimistic Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - training programs - team strategy - personal coaching Key Concepts sports psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - Which skills will you develop next? - How does confidence affect performance? A Different Perspective Speed alone may not secure success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athlete Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete-think-490166/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quicker/) [Quicker People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quicker-people-2082977/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Think Quicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-quicker-3524322/) [Vertical Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vertical-athlete-4096908/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think that there is anyone quicker than me in the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adama-traore/i-don-t-think-that-there-is-anyone-quicker-than-me-in-the-premier/) [Adama Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adama-traore/) > [I may have become a world champion quicker than most, but people should look at me and realise there are all kinds of ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-shiffrin/i-may-have-become-a-world-champion-quicker-than-most-but-people/) [Mikaela Shiffrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-shiffrin/) > [Suppose we think while we talk or write--I mean, as we normally do--we shall not in general say that we think quicker than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/suppose-we-think-while-we-talk-or-write-i-mean-as-we-normally-do-we/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [Also, to be honest, my dad wanted me to be an athlete. 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Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-schwab/) > [Some people would find just the rhythm of my films alone to be a nightmare; they'd probably just fall asleep because they want something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/some-people-would-find-just-the-rhythm-of-my-films-alone-to-be-a/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [Given this platform of being an Olympic athlete, I think it's really important that we stand up for what we believe in, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rippon/given-this-platform-of-being-an-olympic-athlete-i-think-it-s-really/) [Adam Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rippon/) > [As an athlete you have to think about yourself a lot. Think about your body, think about your mind, staying healthy, staying strong, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/as-an-athlete-you-have-to-think-about-yourself-a-lot-think-about-your/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [Every NBA player, every athlete, I think once you get to this level in life, whether you have kids or you're about to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-houston/every-nba-player-every-athlete-i-think-once-you-get-to-this-level-in/) [Allan Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-houston/) > [Women's tennis is getting faster and the girls are getting more athletic, so I need to push myself to become a better athlete. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/women-s-tennis-is-getting-faster-and-the-girls-are-getting-more/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Retiring as the champion and being the only athlete to ever do that, I think goals like that are set in the mind. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-ortiz/retiring-as-the-champion-and-being-the-only-athlete-to-ever-do-that-i/) [Tito Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-ortiz/) > [I might not be a great athlete, but I think I'm a real good football player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-might-not-be-a-great-athlete-but-i-think-i-m-a-real-good-football/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [First of all I'm not a fan of Twitter. Nothing against their program or what they have, but as an athlete I think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mcnabb/first-of-all-i-m-not-a-fan-of-twitter-nothing-against-their-program/) [Donovan McNabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mcnabb/) > [Sometimes, as an athlete, you think everything you touch can turn into gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/sometimes-as-an-athlete-you-think-everything-you-touch-can-turn-into/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) ## More by Klay Thompson > [When you're overseas and on a trip for awhile, it's tough to stay groomed. You miss your routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/when-you-re-overseas-and-on-a-trip-for-awhile-it-s-tough-to-stay/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I don't try to attach myself to technology so much. I'm on my phone a lot, though, but in the off season, I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-don-t-try-to-attach-myself-to-technology-so-much-i-m-on-my-phone-a/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [The cool thing about Snapchat is you can get a lot of news on there now. There's CNN, ESPN, and I find myself reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/the-cool-thing-about-snapchat-is-you-can-get-a-lot-of-news-on-there/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I tried to swim as much as possible. Being in Southern California in the summer time, it's so nice because you have the warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-tried-to-swim-as-much-as-possible-being-in-southern-california-in/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I know to win a championship, you're not going to do it alone. You're going to have to have a great supporting cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-know-to-win-a-championship-you-re-not-going-to-do-it-alone-you-re/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I'm trying to get a lower center of gravity. I think, when I play at a lower level, it helps my overall game, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-m-trying-to-get-a-lower-center-of-gravity-i-think-when-i-play-at-a/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [It just feels good to say we're the best team in the world, with the best player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/it-just-feels-good-to-say-we-re-the-best-team-in-the-world-with-the/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I never tried Pokemon Go. I figured I'd get too addicted to it. I did play Pokemon Snap on Nintendo 64, so that window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-never-tried-pokemon-go-i-figured-i-d-get-too-addicted-to-it-i-did/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [Not missing games, miss one game due to injury in my career, and that even hurt me to miss that game, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/not-missing-games-miss-one-game-due-to-injury-in-my-career-and-that/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [I knew my worth. I knew I could be one of the best 2-guards in the league. I'm not going to be bashful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/i-knew-my-worth-i-knew-i-could-be-one-of-the-best-2-guards-in-the/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [Steve held us to a high standard. He told us he was going to when we first met him at the USA camp. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/steve-held-us-to-a-high-standard-he-told-us-he-was-going-to-when-we/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) > [As a rule, I do not approve of messing around with coffee. No sugar, no milk, no chocolate, hazelnuts, cinnamon, no nothing… Just drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klay-thompson/as-a-rule-i-do-not-approve-of-messing-around-with-coffee-no-sugar-no/) [Klay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) [Explore all 13 Klay Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klay-thompson/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think I might not be the best vertical athlete, but I think I'm quicker than people give me credit for. 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