--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I play the same, contract or no contract…" description: "\"I play the same, contract or no contract, because trade-talk is part of basketball.\" — Luol Deng" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg" --- # I play the same, contract or no contract, because… ![“I play the same, contract or no contract, because trade-talk is part of basketball.” quote by Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg) > “I play the same, contract or no contract, because trade-talk is part of basketball.” [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent play, regardless of contract status, maintains skill and contributes to the game. **In simple terms:** Play consistently to stay sharp. Key Takeaway Stay engaged, contract or not. Themes commitment skill teamwork Mood determined focused Type motivational analytical When to use this quote - basketball games - training sessions - team meetings Key Concepts professionalism sportsmanship career longevity Questions to Reflect On - How does contract status influence performance? - What keeps you motivated? A Different Perspective Contract issues can affect motivation and focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract/) [Contract Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract-trade-571324/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-contract-571322/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Talk Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-basketball-571321/) [Trade Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade-talk-571323/) ## Related quotes > [You don't want to get to the point where you play out your contract and you get to those complicated situations where they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-flacco/you-don-t-want-to-get-to-the-point-where-you-play-out-your-contract/) [Joe Flacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-flacco/) > [When people ask me what I miss most about the game, it's being in the locker room and getting to know the guys. Back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/when-people-ask-me-what-i-miss-most-about-the-game-it-s-being-in-the/) [Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/) > [It's just something I've always loved to do: talk basketball. It's easy for me to give my perspective, my analyst approach to it, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/it-s-just-something-i-ve-always-loved-to-do-talk-basketball-it-s-easy/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [You aren't going to show me something I haven't seen. Nobody can bring something to me that I don't already know, not in boxing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/you-aren-t-going-to-show-me-something-i-haven-t-seen-nobody-can-bring/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [But what physician has not had patients who don't make any sense at all? To tell the truth, they're our stock-in-trade. 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Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [That's all my brother and I do, talk basketball, and I'd like to think I bring some of that casual quality with me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/that-s-all-my-brother-and-i-do-talk-basketball-and-i-d-like-to-think/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Coach Kerr is cool, I got a chance to spend a lot of time with him and talk to him not only about basketball,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/coach-kerr-is-cool-i-got-a-chance-to-spend-a-lot-of-time-with-him-and/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [When I started playing basketball, I hated it because football had always been my sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-started-playing-basketball-i-hated-it-because-football-had/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I really didn't want to play basketball for the longest time, but I just wouldn't stop growing. But I always wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-really-didn-t-want-to-play-basketball-for-the-longest-time-but-i/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [I am very convinced that I did not contract Ebola in the isolation unit, because our process is so safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-brantly/i-am-very-convinced-that-i-did-not-contract-ebola-in-the-isolation/) [Kent Brantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-brantly/) ## More by Luol Deng > [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I really didn't want to play basketball for the longest time, but I just wouldn't stop growing. But I always wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-really-didn-t-want-to-play-basketball-for-the-longest-time-but-i/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I started playing basketball, I hated it because football had always been my sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-started-playing-basketball-i-hated-it-because-football-had/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Egypt was tough without our parents. My brothers and sisters had to work day by day, and every time they collected a pay cheque,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/egypt-was-tough-without-our-parents-my-brothers-and-sisters-had-to/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I wouldn't like to be invisible for a day. But if I was... 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Whether that's a good thing or bad thing, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/what-i-try-to-do-is-to-look-ahead-of-me-and-not-look-back-whether/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [As good as Miami is, we'd rather go to Miami.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-good-as-miami-is-we-d-rather-go-to-miami/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I go out there, I try to do everything I can to win. That doesn't mean I have to score more than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-go-out-there-i-try-to-do-everything-i-can-to-win-that-doesn-t/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [A lot of basketball players have tendinitis. It's known as jumper's knee, and it just comes from all the pounding our knees take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/a-lot-of-basketball-players-have-tendinitis-it-s-known-as-jumper-s/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Chicago is where I have always wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/chicago-is-where-i-have-always-wanted-to-be/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [When I look back at 19, coming here to Chicago, some of the things that were said, some of the stuff that you deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-look-back-at-19-coming-here-to-chicago-some-of-the-things-that/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [It's not easy not to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/it-s-not-easy-not-to-play/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I always believe every team that wins has to go through some things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-always-believe-every-team-that-wins-has-to-go-through-some-things/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I think everyone in this league should aim to become good enough to shoot for the MVP. 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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. 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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 play the same, contract or no contract, because trade-talk is part of basketball.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luol Deng" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract-because-trade-talk-is-part-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract-because-trade-talk-is-part-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d19/luol-deng-4848_basketball_i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract_2451128.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I play the same, contract or no contract, because trade-talk is part of basketball.” — Luol Deng", "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": "Luol Deng", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I play the same, contract or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract-because-trade-talk-is-part-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-play-the-same-contract-or-no-contract-because-trade-talk-is-part-of/#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 } } ] } ```