--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I played when I played, and played, I…" description: "\"I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.\" — Oscar Robertson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png" --- # I played when I played, and played, I think, against the… ![“I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.” quote by Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png) > “I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.” [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on playing during a golden era of basketball alongside legendary opponents, emphasizing pride in that historic period. **In simple terms:** Played with great players in basketball’s best era. Key Takeaway Cherish experiences from peak moments. Themes sports history pride Mood reflective proud Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - career retrospectives - team dynamics - historical analysis Key Concepts legacy competition golden age Questions to Reflect On - What made that era feel greatest? - How do you compare eras fairly? A Different Perspective May overlook challenges faced during that time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Greatest Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-players/) [Greatest Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-time-505397/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-basketball-1570540/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Played Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-think-1038332/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Players Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/players-greatest-2277351/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I can't say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible. But the things that the Miami Heat franchise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-can-t-say-it-was-always-in-my-plans-because-i-never-thought-it-was/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [I think in the history of basketball, people get hired and people get fired, but the main thing is people enjoy their careers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-think-in-the-history-of-basketball-people-get-hired-and-people-get/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [We can never thank David Stern enough. His vision to use basketball to improve the quality of our lives to make this world a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/we-can-never-thank-david-stern-enough-his-vision-to-use-basketball-to/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [At Barca B, I played No. 9 and think I played well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-deulofeu/at-barca-b-i-played-no-9-and-think-i-played-well/) [Gerard Deulofeu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-deulofeu/) > [When I see rugby league being played, I do think, 'How could I have done that for so long especially in my current situation?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/when-i-see-rugby-league-being-played-i-do-think-how-could-i-have-done/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [There have been many games where Xavi and I have played together, and I think we work well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/there-have-been-many-games-where-xavi-and-i-have-played-together-and/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [Play doesn't have to be a frivolous thing. You may think of a Beethoven symphony as something serious, but it's still being played. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/play-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-frivolous-thing-you-may-think-of-a/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [You played me so well that you are all I think about all day every day, you said that you werent lying when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-mcdonald/you-played-me-so-well-that-you-are-all-i-think-about-all-day-every/) [Andrea McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-mcdonald/) > [You think Ill cry? You think Ill breakdown? Damn, youre wrong! I knew your games before, I just played along. If you think Im…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-think-ill-cry-you-think-ill-breakdown-damn-youre-wrong-i-knew/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was posted to China in the summer of 1988, which was the greatest time ever, I think, to have been in China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pomfret/i-was-posted-to-china-in-the-summer-of-1988-which-was-the-greatest/) [John Pomfret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pomfret/) > [I definitely want to go down as the greatest of all time. That's what anyone who has ever wanted something believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/i-definitely-want-to-go-down-as-the-greatest-of-all-time-that-s-what/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [I am the greatest of all-time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-nunes/i-am-the-greatest-of-all-time/) [Amanda Nunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-nunes/) > [I had the greatest time of my life in England for a couple of years, and Robert Farnon made some of the best music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-had-the-greatest-time-of-my-life-in-england-for-a-couple-of-years/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [Any time you can play the greatest of all time is a fun experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/any-time-you-can-play-the-greatest-of-all-time-is-a-fun-experience/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [Colin Kaepernick has the tools to be one of the greatest of all time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-jaworski/colin-kaepernick-has-the-tools-to-be-one-of-the-greatest-of-all-time/) [Ron Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-jaworski/) ## More by Oscar Robertson > [When I started playing, I wasn't fast, I was gangly, my jumpshot was terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/when-i-started-playing-i-wasn-t-fast-i-was-gangly-my-jumpshot-was/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [It's a sad commentary when I have to say that sometimes in our country we are real sensitive to race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/it-s-a-sad-commentary-when-i-have-to-say-that-sometimes-in-our/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [College coaches want to power the ball inside, they want (their post players) to power the ball up, but no one can shoot from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/college-coaches-want-to-power-the-ball-inside-they-want-their-post/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Basketball is basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/basketball-is-basketball/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Now, I guess, people want stars. People are trying to invent stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/now-i-guess-people-want-stars-people-are-trying-to-invent-stars/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [People will think there are no other great ballplayers. Look at Garnett. Look at Duncan, Shaq, Kobe. Look at the players with Sacramento. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/people-will-think-there-are-no-other-great-ballplayers-look-at/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [But I like to think an athlete is an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/but-i-like-to-think-an-athlete-is-an-athlete/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Just because it is an All-Star Game doesn't mean that you are playing as efficiently as you should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/just-because-it-is-an-all-star-game-doesn-t-mean-that-you-are-playing/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [This is where young players today want to land. They want to be NBA players because of the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/this-is-where-young-players-today-want-to-land-they-want-to-be-nba/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Look, I think you should promote the game, but I think you should make it what it ought to be. Not some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/look-i-think-you-should-promote-the-game-but-i-think-you-should-make/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [I don't blame David Stern because a player gets on the court and he doesn't put out competitively. No one can make you play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/i-don-t-blame-david-stern-because-a-player-gets-on-the-court-and-he/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [They should have a rule: in order to be a sportswriter, you have to have played that sport, at some level; high school, college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/they-should-have-a-rule-in-order-to-be-a-sportswriter-you-have-to/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [But when I did it (the triple-double), I didn't even know it until someone told me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/but-when-i-did-it-the-triple-double-i-didn-t-even-know-it-until/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [You have to teach now - tell a kid how to box out, tell him how to pass, teach him footwork. Players don't understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/you-have-to-teach-now-tell-a-kid-how-to-box-out-tell-him-how-to-pass/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [You see what happens in college and high school games today - a three-point shot or a dunk. I think that's the reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/you-see-what-happens-in-college-and-high-school-games-today-a-three/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) [Explore all 50 Oscar Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) ## 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": "I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the history of basketball.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Robertson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-think-against-the-greatest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-think-against-the-greatest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/oscar-robertson-13490_basketball_i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-thin_2289803.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I played when I played, and played, I think, against the greatest players in the greatest time in the…” — Oscar Robertson", "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": "Oscar Robertson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I played when I played, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-think-against-the-greatest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/i-played-when-i-played-and-played-i-think-against-the-greatest/#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 } } ] } ```