--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important quality I look for in…" description: "\"The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy to blame things on som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/lenny-wilkens-31665_accountability_the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in_511744.png" --- # The most important quality I look for in a player is… ![“The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy to blame things on someone else.” quote by Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/lenny-wilkens-31665_accountability_the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in_511744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/lenny-wilkens-31665_accountability_the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in_511744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/lenny-wilkens-31665_accountability_the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in_511744.png) > “The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy to blame things on someone else.” [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accountability is the key trait in players; they must own their identity and actions rather than blame others. **In simple terms:** Accountability matters most. Key Takeaway Own your actions. Themes responsibility leadership teamwork Mood motivational reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - sports teams - workplace - personal development Key Concepts self‑awareness integrity Questions to Reflect On - What systems encourage accountability? - How do you handle accountability when you fail? A Different Perspective Blame‑shifting can undermine group cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-coach/) [Basketball coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-coaching/) [Basketball motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-motivation/) [Basketball team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-team/) [Coaches and players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaches-and-players/) [Coaches motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaches-motivational/) [Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) [Encouraging basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging-basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Inspirational coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-coach/) [Inspirational coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-coaching/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Motivational basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-basketball/) [Motivational coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-coaching/) [Motivational sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-sports/) [Player to coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player-to-coach/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sports coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-coach/) [Sports coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-coaching/) ## Related quotes > [Other people go to the office. I get to coach. I know I've been blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-valvano/other-people-go-to-the-office-i-get-to-coach-i-know-i-ve-been-blessed/) [Jim Valvano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-valvano/) > [What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/what-to-do-with-a-mistake-recognize-it-admit-it-learn-from-it-forget/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [Winning is about having the whole team on the same page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/winning-is-about-having-the-whole-team-on-the-same-page/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-coach-should-be-the-absolute-boss-but-he-still-should-maintain-an/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Keep it simple, when you get too complex you forget the obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-mcguire/keep-it-simple-when-you-get-too-complex-you-forget-the-obvious/) [Al McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-mcguire/) > [Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/remember-this-the-choices-you-make-in-life-make-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The secret of winning is working more as a team, less as individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/the-secret-of-winning-is-working-more-as-a-team-less-as-individuals/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/a-good-coach-will-make-his-players-see-what-they-can-be-rather-than/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [A person really doesn't become whole, until he becomes a part of something that's bigger than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-valvano/a-person-really-doesn-t-become-whole-until-he-becomes-a-part-of/) [Jim Valvano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-valvano/) > [Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/good-teams-become-great-ones-when-the-members-trust-each-other-enough/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [There is no such thing as life in-between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-is-no-such-thing-as-life-in-between/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [College coaches measure success in championships. High School coaches measure success to titles. Youth coaches measure success in smiles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcallister/college-coaches-measure-success-in-championships-high-school-coaches/) Paul McAllister > [Sometimes you learn more from losing than winning. Losing forces you to reexamine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/sometimes-you-learn-more-from-losing-than-winning-losing-forces-you/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/the-price-of-success-is-hard-work-dedication-to-the-job-at-hand/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [I learned early that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I'd have to do it myself. I learned that I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-learned-early-that-if-i-wanted-to-achieve-anything-in-life-i-d-have/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) ## More by Lenny Wilkens > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I always felt that I was as good as the next person, and I didn't care what they had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-always-felt-that-i-was-as-good-as-the-next-person-and-i-didn-t-care/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I learned early that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I'd have to do it myself. I learned that I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-learned-early-that-if-i-wanted-to-achieve-anything-in-life-i-d-have/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a-chance-to-start-over-again/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you want it, you've got to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-want-it-you-ve-got-to-give-it/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you can't go through it, find a way around it. Don't spend all your time banging your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-can-t-go-through-it-find-a-way-around-it-don-t-spend-all-your/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Meadowlark Lemon's book Trust Your Next Shot is written by a remarkable person. I have had the pleasure of knowing Meadowlark for quite some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/meadowlark-lemon-s-book-trust-your-next-shot-is-written-by-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you can't go through it, find a way around it. Don't spend all your time banging your head against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-can-t-go-through-it-find-a-way-around-it-don-t-spend-all-your-2/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I told Zollie Volchok we needed an ultrasound machine and he asked me why we needed music in the locker room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-told-zollie-volchok-we-needed-an-ultrasound-machine-and-he-asked-me/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Show people how to have success and then you can push their expectations up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/show-people-how-to-have-success-and-then-you-can-push-their/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Intimidation doesn't last very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/intimidation-doesn-t-last-very-long/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I never really had a chance to know the players individually... I thought when they were on the floor, they worked hard. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-never-really-had-a-chance-to-know-the-players-individually-i/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I worry about the things I can affect, and the things I have no control over I move by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-worry-about-the-things-i-can-affect-and-the-things-i-have-no/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [We should never discourage young people from dreaming dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/we-should-never-discourage-young-people-from-dreaming-dreams/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [The American dream, to me, means having the opportunity to achieve, because I don't think you should be guaranteed anything other than opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/the-american-dream-to-me-means-having-the-opportunity-to-achieve/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) [Explore all 16 Lenny Wilkens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. 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When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) Edward Greenspon > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) Philip Alston > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) Bill Bullard > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) Michael Soussan [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. 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