--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm just right down the middle, man…" description: "\"I'm just right down the middle, man, ... It doesn't matter to me. I'd love him (Phil Jackson) as a coach. It doesn't matter to me. If they want him her..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1da/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-just-right-down-the-middle-man-it-do_843781.jpg" --- # I'm just right down the middle, man, ... It doesn't matter… ![“I'm just right down the middle, man, ... It doesn't matter to me. I'd love him (Phil Jackson) as a coach. It doesn't matter to me. If they want him here, he'll be here. If he wants to come, he'll come, he'll coach and we'll go from there.” quote by Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1da/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-just-right-down-the-middle-man-it-do_843781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1da/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-just-right-down-the-middle-man-it-do_843781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1da/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-just-right-down-the-middle-man-it-do_843781.jpg) > “I'm just right down the middle, man, ... It doesn't matter to me. I'd love him (Phil Jackson) as a coach. It doesn't matter to me. If they want him here, he'll be here. If he wants to come, he'll come, he'll coach and we'll go from there.” [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker expresses indifference to the coach's identity, focusing on results and willingness to accept any coach. **In simple terms:** Doesn't care who coaches, just wants success. Key Takeaway Focus on performance, not personalities. Themes sports mindset leadership Mood neutral determined Type statement philosophical When to use this quote - team building - performance focus - adaptability - flexibility - acceptance Key Concepts coach selection team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does coach identity affect team chemistry? - Can you thrive under any leadership? A Different Perspective May overlook the impact of coaching style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like I might have an idea of what goes on at Jackson-Winkeljohn's, but at the same time, that's why Coach Jackson and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/i-feel-like-i-might-have-an-idea-of-what-goes-on-at-jackson/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [I am not a usual coach: it doesn't matter for me who are scoring the goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-van-gaal/i-am-not-a-usual-coach-it-doesn-t-matter-for-me-who-are-scoring-the/) [Louis van Gaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-van-gaal/) > [The coach doesn't have to play the sport as well as you do. They have to watch you and get you to be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/the-coach-doesn-t-have-to-play-the-sport-as-well-as-you-do-they-have/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [ He \[Phil Jackson\] is such a basketball genius in terms of the details of the game, the little nuances of the game and the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/he-phil-jackson-is-such-a-basketball-genius-in-terms-of-the-details/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [Snoop Dog is the Phil Jackson of youth football coaches. 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You should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/i-ve-always-believed-one-thing-just-because-you-say-good-morning-and/) [Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/) > [James Franco is a coach, therefore he doesn't need coaching or guidance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riff-raff/james-franco-is-a-coach-therefore-he-doesn-t-need-coaching-or-guidance/) [Riff Raff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riff-raff/) > [Every player, every coach doesn't always see eye to eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajon-rondo/every-player-every-coach-doesn-t-always-see-eye-to-eye/) [Rajon Rondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajon-rondo/) > [Being a full time coach doesn't mean that we practice more than other teams. In fact we have strict regulations about the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-brown/being-a-full-time-coach-doesn-t-mean-that-we-practice-more-than-other/) Tony Brown > [Many people have told me I could be a coach, but it doesn't appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carles-puyol/many-people-have-told-me-i-could-be-a-coach-but-it-doesn-t-appeal/) [Carles Puyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carles-puyol/) > [The athlete makes himself, the coach doesn't make the athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bowerman/the-athlete-makes-himself-the-coach-doesn-t-make-the-athlete/) [Bill Bowerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bowerman/) ## More by Kobe Bryant > [If you don't believe in yourself...nobo dy else will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/if-you-don-t-believe-in-yourself-nobo-dy-else-will/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I don't just try to score. The challenge is elevating my teammates to be able to win a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/i-don-t-just-try-to-score-the-challenge-is-elevating-my-teammates-to/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I'm going to be the Will Smith of the NBA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/i-m-going-to-be-the-will-smith-of-the-nba/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [There's certain companies that line up with what the brand represents. There are other things that are more investment-focused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/there-s-certain-companies-that-line-up-with-what-the-brand-represents/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [If I panic, everyone else panics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/if-i-panic-everyone-else-panics/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [You have to be true to who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/you-have-to-be-true-to-who-you-are/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [It really doesn't matter to me. We're just talking about clothes. I can understand what the NBA is trying to do. I love my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/it-really-doesn-t-matter-to-me-we-re-just-talking-about-clothes-i-can/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [In the pressure situations. You can try to avoid contact, because you dont want to go to the FT line in those situations. Me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/in-the-pressure-situations-you-can-try-to-avoid-contact-because-you/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. Thats what I play for. Most of the time, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/i-play-for-my-own-love-and-enjoyment-of-the-game-and-to-win-thats/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [When you start training camp, you're building the tools necessary to win a championship. You have to have the patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-you-start-training-camp-you-re-building-the-tools-necessary-to/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I don't know if it was the days off or whatever, but we just weren't in rhythm. 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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": "I'm just right down the middle, man, ... 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