--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We'd taken up our positions on the…" description: "\"“We'd taken up our positions on the benches between the school hall and a newly-installed outdoor basketball court. Being hip-hoppers, we were obliged ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/nikesh-shukla-29888_basketball_we-d-taken-up-our-positions-on-the-bench_865336.jpg" --- # We'd taken up our positions on the benches between the… ![“We'd taken up our positions on the benches between the school hall and a newly-installed outdoor basketball court. Being hip-hoppers, we were obliged to be obsessed with basketball. None of us had a ball.” quote by Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/nikesh-shukla-29888_basketball_we-d-taken-up-our-positions-on-the-bench_865336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/nikesh-shukla-29888_basketball_we-d-taken-up-our-positions-on-the-bench_865336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/nikesh-shukla-29888_basketball_we-d-taken-up-our-positions-on-the-bench_865336.jpg) > ““We'd taken up our positions on the benches between the school hall and a newly-installed outdoor basketball court. Being hip-hoppers, we were obliged to be obsessed with basketball. None of us had a ball.”” [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A group of hip‑hop fans gather near a basketball court, obsessed with the sport despite lacking a ball, illustrating yearning for cultural symbols. **In simple terms:** They crave basketball culture without the actual game. Key Takeaway Find ways to engage with passions even when resources lack. Themes culture identity yearning resourcefulness community Mood humorous observational empathetic Type social cultural When to use this quote - urban youth gatherings - creative projects - resource‑limited hobbies Key Concepts hip‑hop basketball symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How can we create meaning without the object? - What substitutes fulfill similar cultural needs? A Different Perspective Obsessing over symbols can distract from actual participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-court/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) ## Related quotes > [I've learned that my son is obsessed with basketball. He sits down and watches the games with me, and wants to go play all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-millsap/i-ve-learned-that-my-son-is-obsessed-with-basketball-he-sits-down-and/) [Paul Millsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-millsap/) > [I'm definitely somewhat of a tomboy. I grew up a pretty big tomboy, actually, and was really obsessed with basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachele-brooke-smith/i-m-definitely-somewhat-of-a-tomboy-i-grew-up-a-pretty-big-tomboy/) [Rachele Brooke Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachele-brooke-smith/) > [“The PBA was a symptom of the Philippines' basketball obsession, not the cause. I was thrilled to be witnessing the professional game from inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-bartholomew/the-pba-was-a-symptom-of-the-philippines-basketball-obsession-not-the/) Rafe Bartholomew > [Although I grew up in Kansas City, ... I have always kept more or less au courant of Texas barbecue, like a sports fan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/although-i-grew-up-in-kansas-city-i-have-always-kept-more-or-less-au/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [For me this was never a money issue, it was about being rich in your heart. To come home, and to be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-davis/for-me-this-was-never-a-money-issue-it-was-about-being-rich-in-your/) [Baron Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-davis/) > [When you live in the projects, everything you need is in a mile radius: a basketball court, an indoor gym, a school, a grocery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheck-wes/when-you-live-in-the-projects-everything-you-need-is-in-a-mile-radius/) [Sheck Wes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheck-wes/) > [Basketball is a full court game, so every drill must be done full court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/basketball-is-a-full-court-game-so-every-drill-must-be-done-full-court/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [It's a really weird mindset to kind of try to take my mentality on the basketball court and bring it here on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/it-s-a-really-weird-mindset-to-kind-of-try-to-take-my-mentality-on/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [When I step on that basketball court, I'm thinking about basketball, I'm thinking about winning - but there's so much that goes into thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/when-i-step-on-that-basketball-court-i-m-thinking-about-basketball-i/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [I have two definitions of success - one on the basketball court and one in my personal life. 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I'm in my gym clothes and my socks trying to do this thing called ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/my-first-ballet-class-was-on-a-basketball-court-i-m-in-my-gym-clothes/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [When I look at myself, I'm not a big man - I'm a guard. I can do everything on the basketball court. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-look-at-myself-i-m-not-a-big-man-i-m-a-guard-i-can-do/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [What's going on in my life, I never bring it to the basketball court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/what-s-going-on-in-my-life-i-never-bring-it-to-the-basketball-court/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) ## More by Nikesh Shukla > [“These themes are explored through fantasy figures such as wizards, giants and elves. At the same time, amongst the teachers and pupils at Hogwarts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/these-themes-are-explored-through-fantasy-figures-such-as-wizards/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Respectability politics is the dogged belief that if black people just shape up, dress right, and act right, racists would suddenly have a dramatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/respectability-politics-is-the-dogged-belief-that-if-black-people/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“I had long since realised that if there was greatness in Britain, then it lay in its everyday citizens, and not in its institutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/i-had-long-since-realised-that-if-there-was-greatness-in-britain-then/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“To be an immigrant, good or bad, is about straddling two homes, whilst knowing you don't really belong to either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/to-be-an-immigrant-good-or-bad-is-about-straddling-two-homes-whilst/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Ravi, you big massive racist. Rap is the music of revolution. Rap is the reason we have rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/ravi-you-big-massive-racist-rap-is-the-music-of-revolution-rap-is-the/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Tell me about Gang Starr,' said Nishant, in an effort to start a conversation I'd be interested in. 'One MC, one DJ...' 'Classic combo,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/tell-me-about-gang-starr-said-nishant-in-an-effort-to-start-a/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“I dodged him for a few months with excuses about not being able to, not having the time to, not being bothered to tape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/i-dodged-him-for-a-few-months-with-excuses-about-not-being-able-to/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“I do think it’s interesting that this idea of being a model minority is tied up with essentially being quiet,’ she says. ‘Just sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/i-do-think-it-s-interesting-that-this-idea-of-being-a-model-minority/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Oriental’ has connotations of bamboo and flutes and red sunsets. It should only really be used to describe carpets, as the word has an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/oriental-has-connotations-of-bamboo-and-flutes-and-red-sunsets-it/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Everything around me was so starkly white that I began to believe that I would turn white sooner or later. I was quietly being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/everything-around-me-was-so-starkly-white-that-i-began-to-believe/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“While 'Rap Trax!' recorded, Neel found some scrap paper and we started writing our first lyrics. Bandying about subject matter and title, we got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/while-rap-trax-recorded-neel-found-some-scrap-paper-and-we-started/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“It’s a tree falling in a forest conundrum: if a white kid raps all the lyrics to ‘Gold Digger’ and there isn’t a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/it-s-a-tree-falling-in-a-forest-conundrum-if-a-white-kid-raps-all-the/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“We laughed over our difference then spent years bonding over things that made us the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/we-laughed-over-our-difference-then-spent-years-bonding-over-things/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“Integrate well. Move upwards in society. Be praised - until people worry that you're doing too well, and then they remember that you're foreign.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/integrate-well-move-upwards-in-society-be-praised-until-people-worry/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) > [“I was proud to be brown in my own way. Well, I was at school; at school I was brown about the funky stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikesh-shukla/i-was-proud-to-be-brown-in-my-own-way-well-i-was-at-school-at-school/) [Nikesh Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) [Explore all 18 Nikesh Shukla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikesh-shukla/) ## 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. 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