--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that…" description: "\"I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to prepare for another career or vocation for when my playing days were over, in order to maintai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg" --- # I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to… ![“I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to prepare for another career or vocation for when my playing days were over, in order to maintain relevancy. I didn't want to become known for what I used to do.” quote by Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg) > “I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to prepare for another career or vocation for when my playing days were over, in order to maintain relevancy. I didn't want to become known for what I used to do.” [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes must plan for life after sports to stay relevant and avoid being defined solely by their playing career. **In simple terms:** Plan for a second career after sports. Key Takeaway Start building future skills now. Themes career transition identity planning Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - post‑NBA job search - education - networking - financial planning Key Concepts athlete lifecycle personal branding Questions to Reflect On - What skills will you develop now for your next career? - How will you reshape your identity beyond basketball? A Different Perspective Transition can be hard if early financial security is lacking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [Law became boring, but like every job I've done, it helped prepare me for a career in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/law-became-boring-but-like-every-job-i-ve-done-it-helped-prepare-me/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [Living frugally is one of the best things an author can do to prepare for their career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/living-frugally-is-one-of-the-best-things-an-author-can-do-to-prepare/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [I was attracted to law school because I believed it would help me prepare for a career in the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-chenault/i-was-attracted-to-law-school-because-i-believed-it-would-help-me/) [Kenneth Chenault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-chenault/) > [For those who believe executive branch officials will voluntarily interpret their surveillance authorities with restraint, I believe it is more likely that I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/for-those-who-believe-executive-branch-officials-will-voluntarily/) [Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/) > [I'm not like the next Michael Jordan, but I'm also not what everyone saw me as before I started playing in the NBA, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/i-m-not-like-the-next-michael-jordan-but-i-m-also-not-what-everyone/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [It's like Christmas every day playing in the NBA. You don't have to worry about the real world and real issues. As you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-green/it-s-like-christmas-every-day-playing-in-the-nba-you-don-t-have-to/) [Danny Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-green/) > [When I was small, playing NBA Live, that's how I knew everyone in the NBA. That's how I learned about the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-parker/when-i-was-small-playing-nba-live-that-s-how-i-knew-everyone-in-the/) [Tony Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-parker/) > [Coming over to this side and playing in the NBA was my dream, and the dream came true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-valanciunas/coming-over-to-this-side-and-playing-in-the-nba-was-my-dream-and-the/) [Jonas Valanciunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-valanciunas/) > [There's a lot of guys who are drafted and end up not playing in the NBA. They get their money for their first whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-brunson/there-s-a-lot-of-guys-who-are-drafted-and-end-up-not-playing-in-the/) [Jalen Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-brunson/) > [Tim Duncan's foot issue, I think, is a major factor in this year's playoffs. That's not the kind of injury that gets better over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/tim-duncan-s-foot-issue-i-think-is-a-major-factor-in-this-year-s/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine for a long time, so to finally get to do that is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/playing-in-the-nba-has-been-a-dream-of-mine-for-a-long-time-so-to/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [I went from almost not playing in the NBA to playing on a championship team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-young/i-went-from-almost-not-playing-in-the-nba-to-playing-on-a/) [Nick Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-young/) > [I never envisioned myself playing for the U.S. Olympic team -- growing up, I never envisioned playing in the NBA, to be real with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/i-never-envisioned-myself-playing-for-the-u-s-olympic-team-growing-up/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I didn't dream of playing college or playing in the NBA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/i-didn-t-dream-of-playing-college-or-playing-in-the-nba/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [I always dreamed of playing the NBA, but along the way, the road got a little cloudy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-always-dreamed-of-playing-the-nba-but-along-the-way-the-road-got-a/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) ## More by Len Elmore > [I'm not nearly as much of a fan of the NBA as I was maybe 10 or 15 years ago, or certainly as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-m-not-nearly-as-much-of-a-fan-of-the-nba-as-i-was-maybe-10-or-15/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [I'd like to be remembered as somebody who persevered, who in many ways overcame, who recognized the importance of giving back, particularly to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-d-like-to-be-remembered-as-somebody-who-persevered-who-in-many-ways/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [One of the reasons why I enjoy college basketball a little more is because of its team orientation as opposed to individual orientation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-enjoy-college-basketball-a-little-more-is/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [I've always been taught that basketball is a team game and greater than the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-ve-always-been-taught-that-basketball-is-a-team-game-and-greater/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [My mother and father stressed education and always made sure we had a place to study and books to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/my-mother-and-father-stressed-education-and-always-made-sure-we-had-a/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [Sometimes if you talk trash, you end up taking out the garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/sometimes-if-you-talk-trash-you-end-up-taking-out-the-garbage/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [There were times my immaturity kept me from being all I wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/there-were-times-my-immaturity-kept-me-from-being-all-i-wanted-to-be/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [Getting a well-rounded education and developing a love of learning that hopefully will continue to last my lifetime certainly helped prepare me to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/getting-a-well-rounded-education-and-developing-a-love-of-learning/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [I can't say there was one thing in particular that helped prepare me for life beyond basketball except for the exposure to college and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-can-t-say-there-was-one-thing-in-particular-that-helped-prepare-me/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) > [I'm concerned that young people, far too often, abdicate their responsibilities of learning and adapting and give that over to people who may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-m-concerned-that-young-people-far-too-often-abdicate-their/) [Len Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) [Explore all 11 Len Elmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to prepare for another career or vocation for when my playing days were over, in order to maintain relevancy. I didn't want to become known for what I used to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Len Elmore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i-would-have-to-prepare-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i-would-have-to-prepare-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/len-elmore-40037_career_i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i_1895758.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I knew, despite playing in the NBA, that I would have to prepare for another career or vocation for when my…” — Len Elmore", "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": "Len Elmore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-elmore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I knew, despite playing in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i-would-have-to-prepare-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-elmore/i-knew-despite-playing-in-the-nba-that-i-would-have-to-prepare-for/#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 } } ] } ```