--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm playing against great players…" description: "\"I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition-that's what I've always wanted.\" — Kobe Bryant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-playing-against-great-players-playin_1941174.jpg" --- # I'm playing against great players, playing against the… ![“I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition-that's what I've always wanted.” quote by Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-playing-against-great-players-playin_1941174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-playing-against-great-players-playin_1941174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_i-m-playing-against-great-players-playin_1941174.jpg) > “I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition-that's what I've always wanted.” [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. He thrives on competing with top talent, seeing it as his ultimate goal. **In simple terms:** Competing with the best fuels his drive. Key Takeaway Seek challenges that push you higher. Themes competition ambition growth Mood determined excited Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - sports training - career development - personal motivation Key Concepts elite performance drive goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What does "the best" mean to you? - How do you balance competition and teamwork? A Different Perspective Only competition can become toxic if it overshadows collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When you have great players, playing great, well thats great football!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/when-you-have-great-players-playing-great-well-thats-great-football/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [When you have great players, playing great, well that's great football!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/when-you-have-great-players-playing-great-well-that-s-great-football/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [“But India cannot live for Lancashire or any other country before she is able to live for herself. And she can live for herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/but-india-cannot-live-for-lancashire-or-any-other-country-before-she/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [We've got a lot of players not playing domestic football week in, week out. What is it? Is it the crest on their chest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-page/we-ve-got-a-lot-of-players-not-playing-domestic-football-week-in-week/) [Rob Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-page/) > [There's really good players out there, and we're all playing hard and trying to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-jones/there-s-really-good-players-out-there-and-we-re-all-playing-hard-and/) [Mac Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-jones/) > [Tactics are just a part of football because the players are playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/tactics-are-just-a-part-of-football-because-the-players-are-playing/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [I think it's a good match, Dutch players playing in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-think-it-s-a-good-match-dutch-players-playing-in-england/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [We believe the most important thing is giving back to this game, not just for the players that are playing today but for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke/we-believe-the-most-important-thing-is-giving-back-to-this-game-not/) [Michael Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke/) > [The most important thing is they have to know why we do things and when. A lot of players are playing intuitively, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-van-gaal/the-most-important-thing-is-they-have-to-know-why-we-do-things-and/) [Louis van Gaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-van-gaal/) > [Some days on court, you just don't feel it; the other players are playing too good. It's not always going to go your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-tomic/some-days-on-court-you-just-don-t-feel-it-the-other-players-are/) [Bernard Tomic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-tomic/) > [The reality is, like, women's basketball players are playing against women. And we're all in the same boat the same way men's sports is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-bird/the-reality-is-like-women-s-basketball-players-are-playing-against/) [Sue Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-bird/) > [I try not to pay too much respect to the players I am playing against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-alexander-arnold/i-try-not-to-pay-too-much-respect-to-the-players-i-am-playing-against/) [Trent Alexander-Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-alexander-arnold/) > [I think England are a very exciting side because they have got so many young, talented, creative players, playing up front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluca-vialli/i-think-england-are-a-very-exciting-side-because-they-have-got-so/) [Gianluca Vialli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluca-vialli/) > [You want the world-class players playing at the World Cup, and you want them to do themselves justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/you-want-the-world-class-players-playing-at-the-world-cup-and-you/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [It's obviously important for the English national team if you have a lot of players playing big matches. You are more mature and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/it-s-obviously-important-for-the-english-national-team-if-you-have-a/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) ## 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. You can probably blame it on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/i-don-t-know-if-it-was-the-days-off-or-whatever-but-we-just-weren-t/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [If you make it, great. If you miss it, what's there to be afraid of?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/if-you-make-it-great-if-you-miss-it-what-s-there-to-be-afraid-of/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [They are the best team in the league right now. There's not much more to say about what makes them tough --versatility, execution and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/they-are-the-best-team-in-the-league-right-now-there-s-not-much-more/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [There's a much bigger world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/there-s-a-much-bigger-world-out-there/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [When you have empathy toward your opponents, it helps you destroy them quicker. Because you understand exactly who they are. You understand what buttons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-you-have-empathy-toward-your-opponents-it-helps-you-destroy-them/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) [Explore all 204 Kobe Bryant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) ## 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": "I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. 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