--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been playing in L.A. for a long time…" description: "\"I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.\" — Matt Barnes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg" --- # I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college… ![“I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.” quote by Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg) > “I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.” [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the need for continuous preparation and adaptation in a competitive environment. **In simple terms:** Always stay ready. Key Takeaway Prepare consistently. Themes preparation adaptation competition Mood reflective focused Type practical motivational When to use this quote - college athletics - professional sports - career transitions - skill development Key Concepts sports psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay ready for new challenges? - What habits keep you adaptable? A Different Perspective Preparation alone may not guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Pros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-pros-748122/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-long-928112/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Ready Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready-different-1308138/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The biggest difference between college and pros is a lot more games and better competition day in, day out. You don't really have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mullin/the-biggest-difference-between-college-and-pros-is-a-lot-more-games/) [Chris Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mullin/) > [It's not something to complain about, but just the major difference between college and the pros is that in college you're guaranteed four to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-griffin-iii/it-s-not-something-to-complain-about-but-just-the-major-difference/) [Robert Griffin III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-griffin-iii/) > [I was playing 60, 70 matches a year in college. In the pros, unless you're winning, you're not playing that many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-isner/i-was-playing-60-70-matches-a-year-in-college-in-the-pros-unless-you/) [John Isner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-isner/) > [“How much longer until we finally figure out how to be with one another? How many times do we have to play out this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/how-much-longer-until-we-finally-figure-out-how-to-be-with-one/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [I'm ready to take on different selves and experiment and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-m-ready-to-take-on-different-selves-and-experiment-and-see-what/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I'm ready to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-la-russa/i-m-ready-to-do-something-different/) [Tony La Russa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-la-russa/) > [We're in a different time right now, and I think we're ready to see a different type of female hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-larson/we-re-in-a-different-time-right-now-and-i-think-we-re-ready-to-see-a/) [Brie Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-larson/) > [I'm ready for a different America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-m-ready-for-a-different-america/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [I'm enjoying playing. As long as that continues, I'll carry on playing as long as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-m-enjoying-playing-as-long-as-that-continues-i-ll-carry-on-playing/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I'm really not opposed to playing anything as long as it's a story that I want to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-really-not-opposed-to-playing-anything-as-long-as-it-s-a-story/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [Right now I feel like playing as long as I can, As long as my body will allow me to play I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-peppers/right-now-i-feel-like-playing-as-long-as-i-can-as-long-as-my-body/) [Julius Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-peppers/) > [I just want to keep working, really. I just want to keep acting. Playing one part for a very long time builds up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-just-want-to-keep-working-really-i-just-want-to-keep-acting-playing/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [Even if you've never picked up a club, or if you've been playing for a long time, there's always something new to learn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/even-if-you-ve-never-picked-up-a-club-or-if-you-ve-been-playing-for-a/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [I will keep playing as long as my body lets me, and as long as I'm wanted by my listeners. Because music is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/i-will-keep-playing-as-long-as-my-body-lets-me-and-as-long-as-i-m/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [I never intended on playing as long as I have, but this is the way it's happened and I'm so grateful for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/i-never-intended-on-playing-as-long-as-i-have-but-this-is-the-way-it/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) ## More by Matt Barnes > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I realize that I'm one of those guys that if I'm not with you, you hate me. But when I'm with you, you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-realize-that-i-m-one-of-those-guys-that-if-i-m-not-with-you-you/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I'm a role player, a journeyman. I know who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-m-a-role-player-a-journeyman-i-know-who-i-am/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [In the NBA you better come to play every night, where in the NBDL the talent level just isn't there and maybe you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/in-the-nba-you-better-come-to-play-every-night-where-in-the-nbdl-the/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [Ever since I lost my mom, I'm really just trying to give back. At first, we were doing screenings and paying for surgeries, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/ever-since-i-lost-my-mom-i-m-really-just-trying-to-give-back-at-first/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a-very-tough-job-managing-10/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [Even though the city of Memphis and this organization has welcomed me with open arms, I play every game like it's my last. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/even-though-the-city-of-memphis-and-this-organization-has-welcomed-me/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I'm an aggressive player. I always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-m-an-aggressive-player-i-always-have-been/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I've had to fight every year. That's kept me hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-had-to-fight-every-year-that-s-kept-me-hungry/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I like being the hated one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-like-being-the-hated-one/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [The league feels like it's their job to protect the referees more than the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/the-league-feels-like-it-s-their-job-to-protect-the-referees-more/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [We can't beat any team by ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/we-can-t-beat-any-team-by-ourselves/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [Until you get that championship, nobody's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/until-you-get-that-championship-nobody-s-good-enough/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I respect all my opponents, but I fear no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-respect-all-my-opponents-but-i-fear-no-one/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [Some guys have one good year and fade away. I've worked too hard to get here and it's took me too long to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/some-guys-have-one-good-year-and-fade-away-i-ve-worked-too-hard-to/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) [Explore all 98 Matt Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matt Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time-through-college-and-pros/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time-through-college-and-pros/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e5/matt-barnes-6673_college_i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time_2251858.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been playing in L.A. for a long time through college and pros, just to be ready. It's different out here.” — Matt Barnes", "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": "Matt Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've been playing in L.A. for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time-through-college-and-pros/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-been-playing-in-l-a-for-a-long-time-through-college-and-pros/#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 } } ] } ```