--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every play is not perfect but that's…" description: "\"Every play is not perfect but that's basketball.\" — Marvin Bagley III" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg" --- # Every play is not perfect but that's basketball. ![“Every play is not perfect but that's basketball.” quote by Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg) > “Every play is not perfect but that's basketball.” [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Basketball games are imperfect, yet the sport continues despite flaws. **In simple terms:** Games aren’t perfect, but we keep playing. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection, focus on improvement. Themes sports perfectionism resilience Mood motivational realistic Type sports inspirational When to use this quote - coaching sessions - player development - fan engagement - league management Key Concepts team dynamics performance pressure Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle mistakes on the court? - What can teams do to improve despite flaws? A Different Perspective Perfection is unattainable, which can cause frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don't believe there is only one greatest player either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-perfect-basketball-player-and-i-don-t/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel a little more tired than usual, ... Ive had to recover from everything, my illnesses and things this summer. Its not perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/i-feel-a-little-more-tired-than-usual-ive-had-to-recover-from/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [Even though you strive for perfection, you're never going to play the perfect game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-thomas/even-though-you-strive-for-perfection-you-re-never-going-to-play-the/) [Joe Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-thomas/) > [I used to always want to play the perfect match, and this meant not losing a point. The realisation came around the time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-ivanovic/i-used-to-always-want-to-play-the-perfect-match-and-this-meant-not/) [Ana Ivanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-ivanovic/) > [We can't always play the perfect game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/we-can-t-always-play-the-perfect-game/) [Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/) > [Id like to imagine that in order to beat me a person would have to play almost perfect tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/id-like-to-imagine-that-in-order-to-beat-me-a-person-would-have-to/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [No one is going to play perfect all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/no-one-is-going-to-play-perfect-all-the-time/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [I put so much pressure on myself to play perfect golf because I felt like I had to play perfect golf to win tournaments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-put-so-much-pressure-on-myself-to-play-perfect-golf-because-i-felt/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [It's a lot more fun to play the bitch than it is to play the perfect girl 'cause everybody has a bad side inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/it-s-a-lot-more-fun-to-play-the-bitch-than-it-is-to-play-the-perfect/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [This is the substance of our Plot-For those who play the Perfect Shot, There are ten thousand who do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/this-is-the-substance-of-our-plot-for-those-who-play-the-perfect-shot/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Whenever you step on the ice, you need to be a student of the game and try to hone your craft. You're never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-knight/whenever-you-step-on-the-ice-you-need-to-be-a-student-of-the-game-and/) [Hilary Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-knight/) > [Sometimes you're looking to play perfect tennis but it's not going to happen all the time and you have to accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/sometimes-you-re-looking-to-play-perfect-tennis-but-it-s-not-going-to/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [You're always striving to play that perfect match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evert/you-re-always-striving-to-play-that-perfect-match/) [Chris Evert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evert/) > [Law 24: Play the perfect courtier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-48-laws-of-power/law-24-play-the-perfect-courtier/) [The 48 Laws Of Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-48-laws-of-power/) > [You dont want to play a perfect person; no one cares about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/you-dont-want-to-play-a-perfect-person-no-one-cares-about-that/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) ## More by Marvin Bagley III > [My experience at Duke, I had a good experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/my-experience-at-duke-i-had-a-good-experience/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [Coming from high school and all my other middle schools, everybody that I was around played some type of sport. But going to Duke,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/coming-from-high-school-and-all-my-other-middle-schools-everybody/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I try to be coachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-try-to-be-coachable/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [At the end of the day, it was my decision to do the things that I've been through and the places I've been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-was-my-decision-to-do-the-things-that-i-ve/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [Obviously I have confidence in my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/obviously-i-have-confidence-in-my-game/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [Kind of just knowing what I do every single day and knowing how hard I go, you never want to be second. You want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/kind-of-just-knowing-what-i-do-every-single-day-and-knowing-how-hard/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I wasn't always the biggest guy out there, muscle-wise, but I knew that every time I stepped out on the court, that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-wasn-t-always-the-biggest-guy-out-there-muscle-wise-but-i-knew-that/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I've put so much into this game - every single day. I've sacrificed a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-ve-put-so-much-into-this-game-every-single-day-i-ve-sacrificed-a-lot/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I want to be the best player for my class and any class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-want-to-be-the-best-player-for-my-class-and-any-class/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I used to just be a shooter on the perimeter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-used-to-just-be-a-shooter-on-the-perimeter/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [It's kind of hard for me to take failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/it-s-kind-of-hard-for-me-to-take-failure/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I think music is my way of showing people a different side of me, telling my story, how I got to this position that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-think-music-is-my-way-of-showing-people-a-different-side-of-me/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I just want to get on the court and develop, wherever that might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-just-want-to-get-on-the-court-and-develop-wherever-that-might-be/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I'm just going to keep doing my job. Being ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-m-just-going-to-keep-doing-my-job-being-ready/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I want to be the best at anything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/i-want-to-be-the-best-at-anything-i-do/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) [Explore all 96 Marvin Bagley III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) ## 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": "Every play is not perfect but that's basketball.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marvin Bagley III" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-basketball/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-basketball/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/marvin-bagley-iii-6887_basketball_every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-bas_2716929.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every play is not perfect but that's basketball.” — Marvin Bagley III", "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": "Marvin Bagley III", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every play is not perfect but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-basketball/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/every-play-is-not-perfect-but-that-s-basketball/#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 } } ] } ```