--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm finished playing, I want people…" description: "\"When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'\" — Kobe Bryant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg" --- # When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He… ![“When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'” quote by Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg) > “When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'” [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. Excellence is judged by composure under pressure, valuing calmness as a mark of true skill. **In simple terms:** Stay cool to be respected. Key Takeaway Maintain composure in challenges. Themes sports leadership performance Mood inspirational pragmatic Type motivational advice When to use this quote - high‑stakes games - public speaking - crisis management Key Concepts emotional regulation mental toughness role modeling Questions to Reflect On - What techniques keep you calm? - How does calmness affect team confidence? A Different Perspective Calmness can be mistaken for lack of passion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I remember the first time I fogged up your astronauts helmet. That night we made space like outer love. But I kept it cool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/i-remember-the-first-time-i-fogged-up-your-astronauts-helmet-that/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [I never looked at hockey as work. Now that I'd finished playing, I had to go to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-orr/i-never-looked-at-hockey-as-work-now-that-i-d-finished-playing-i-had/) [Bobby Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-orr/) > [I believe I never finished playing Sherry Palmer, that's why when the thought they shot and killed me, Penny's butt kept breathing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-johnson-jerald/i-believe-i-never-finished-playing-sherry-palmer-that-s-why-when-the/) [Penny Johnson Jerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-johnson-jerald/) > [If someone has already done a role I'm about to do, I won't watch the original until after I'm finished playing the role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/if-someone-has-already-done-a-role-i-m-about-to-do-i-won-t-watch-the/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [I do not, as a rule, do encores. When I have finished playing, I have indeed finished playing. I have nothing left; there has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dixon/i-do-not-as-a-rule-do-encores-when-i-have-finished-playing-i-have/) [Bill Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dixon/) > [Just finished playing football with the boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/just-finished-playing-football-with-the-boys/) Slowly\_fading > [Milestones have never really meant a lot. They probably will mean more when I've finished playing and actually reflect on what I have achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/milestones-have-never-really-meant-a-lot-they-probably-will-mean-more/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [When I finished playing, I didn't think I would be able to replace the buzz you feel at kick-off, but when the light on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-scott/when-i-finished-playing-i-didn-t-think-i-would-be-able-to-replace-the/) [Alex Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-scott/) > [Just finished playing dodge ball in the rain with my mates. I'm soaking wet, but it was fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/just-finished-playing-dodge-ball-in-the-rain-with-my-mates-i-m/) Slowly\_fading > [Most actors hate the feeling of being handled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wright/most-actors-hate-the-feeling-of-being-handled/) [Joe Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wright/) > [I looked long and carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer - the style was good, and the brush was handled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-looked-long-and-carefully-at-the-picture-of-a-stag-painted-by/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [As we all become increasingly reliant on social networking websites and new technologies to stay connected, it's important to remain cognizant of how private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/as-we-all-become-increasingly-reliant-on-social-networking-websites/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Maybe the law don't always handle things, but that doesn't mean things don't get handled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/maybe-the-law-don-t-always-handle-things-but-that-doesn-t-mean-things/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [The timing was terrible, and having one disaster after another didn't help. I think the pictures on television of the way in which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-tauzin/the-timing-was-terrible-and-having-one-disaster-after-another-didn-t/) [Billy Tauzin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-tauzin/) > [“Because some days the world holds true at the drop of a hat, don't you find? Things favor themselves: whatever you reach for -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lutz/because-some-days-the-world-holds-true-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-don-t-you/) [Gary Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lutz/) ## 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": "When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kobe Bryant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people-to-say-he-handled-this-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people-to-say-he-handled-this-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/kobe-bryant-1845_basketball_when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people_3218443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I'm finished playing, I want people to say, 'He handled this well, he kept his cool.'” — Kobe Bryant", "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": "Kobe Bryant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I'm finished playing, I want...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people-to-say-he-handled-this-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/when-i-m-finished-playing-i-want-people-to-say-he-handled-this-well/#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 } } ] } ```