--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I played all four years [at St. Mary's…" description: "\"I played all four years [at St. Mary's College] with - at a certain point, basketball became the thing I was doing most, but it was really in my periph..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg" --- # I played all four years \[at St. Mary's College\] with - at… ![“I played all four years [at St. Mary's College] with - at a certain point, basketball became the thing I was doing most, but it was really in my periphery.” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg) > “I played all four years \[at St. Mary's College\] with - at a certain point, basketball became the thing I was doing most, but it was really in my periphery.” [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects that basketball, though central, felt peripheral to his identity, highlighting how passions can dominate yet remain on the edge of self‑concept. **In simple terms:** Basketball was central but felt peripheral. Key Takeaway Recognize when a passion becomes background noise. Themes identity balance focus Mood reflective introspective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - college athletics - career planning - personal growth - mindfulness Key Concepts self‑concept passion peripheral engagement Questions to Reflect On - What activities feel peripheral despite their importance? - How can you integrate peripheral passions into your core identity? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper motivations behind a dominant activity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ## Related quotes > [Getting to St. Mary's College was a big deal for me because that essentially led to me getting to go to NYU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/getting-to-st-mary-s-college-was-a-big-deal-for-me-because-that/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [“So I guess you were hopelessly romantic and easily distracted, a B-plus mother, certainly good enough to get into Matriarchal State University but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/so-i-guess-you-were-hopelessly-romantic-and-easily-distracted-a-b/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [When I was in college, there were certain words you couldn't say in front of a girl. Now you can say them, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/when-i-was-in-college-there-were-certain-words-you-couldn-t-say-in/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I was very quiet at college and had a certain group of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yami-gautam/i-was-very-quiet-at-college-and-had-a-certain-group-of-friends/) [Yami Gautam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yami-gautam/) > [I've always spent time talking to a lot of NBA coaches, and I've always said this: There's certain things that work in the NBA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/i-ve-always-spent-time-talking-to-a-lot-of-nba-coaches-and-i-ve/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [I don't think that every child in America is going to necessarily aspire to, you know, a four-year degree from a liberal arts college…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/i-don-t-think-that-every-child-in-america-is-going-to-necessarily/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Every basketball thing I do now through my academy is always in a muskie state so I can work both those passions at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/every-basketball-thing-i-do-now-through-my-academy-is-always-in-a/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [Since this basketball thing has started, some way or another I've become the most handsomest man in the world, because everybody's like, 'Oh!' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/since-this-basketball-thing-has-started-some-way-or-another-i-ve/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) > [Basketball's not the only thing in my life. It shouldn't be in anyone's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-bradley/basketball-s-not-the-only-thing-in-my-life-it-shouldn-t-be-in-anyone/) [Shawn Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-bradley/) > [I started out as a football player. I liked to inflict pain. In basketball, it was the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-started-out-as-a-football-player-i-liked-to-inflict-pain-in/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [There's nothing to be scared of. We're playing basketball. The only thing that could happen is you failing. 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But I like being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-shumpert/people-sometimes-think-that-if-someone-plays-basketball-they-have-to/) [Iman Shumpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-shumpert/) > [I'm a huge, huge sports fan, and Marquette basketball is my No. 1 thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-pudi/i-m-a-huge-huge-sports-fan-and-marquette-basketball-is-my-no-1-thing/) [Danny Pudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-pudi/) ## More by Mahershala Ali > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I grew up in church. My mom's a minister, and my grandmother was an ordained minister. I was always very mindful of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-grew-up-in-church-my-mom-s-a-minister-and-my-grandmother-was-an/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Like so many families, we were dealing with limited means. We weren't poor at all, but we had some challenging times financially. When my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/like-so-many-families-we-were-dealing-with-limited-means-we-weren-t/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think how strict my mother's home could be with my mom and my stepfather, there was a fluidity and freedom in my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-how-strict-my-mother-s-home-could-be-with-my-mom-and-my/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My mother is an ordained minister. I'm a Muslim. 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My mom was 16, my dad was 17. They were kids, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-parents-were-in-high-school-when-i-was-born-my-mom-was-16-my-dad/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Because on that watch list, they would be like, yeah, your name - they told me like, yeah, your name matches the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/because-on-that-watch-list-they-would-be-like-yeah-your-name-they/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I started traveling by myself as early as 5 to see my dad. I'd go to Toronto or Los Angeles, depending on what show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-started-traveling-by-myself-as-early-as-5-to-see-my-dad-i-d-go-to/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [One thing that the audience, and perhaps critics, aren't aware of is that, especially in a film like 'Moonlight,' you always shoot a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/one-thing-that-the-audience-and-perhaps-critics-aren-t-aware-of-is/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think in some ways, I would go back home, and I didn't really quite fit in and couldn't - didn't have a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-in-some-ways-i-would-go-back-home-and-i-didn-t-really-quite/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I remember clearly, when I was about 4, my Aunt Linda said, 'I'm not babysitting him no more. He's bad.' 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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 played all four years [at St. Mary's College] with - at a certain point, basketball became the thing I was doing most, but it was really in my periphery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mahershala Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-college-with-at-a-certain-point/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-college-with-at-a-certain-point/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/mahershala-ali-6687_basketball_i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-col_2647202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I played all four years [at St. Mary's College] with - at a certain point, basketball became the thing I was…” — Mahershala Ali", "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": "Mahershala Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I played all four years [at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-college-with-at-a-certain-point/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-played-all-four-years-at-st-mary-s-college-with-at-a-certain-point/#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 } } ] } ```