--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always put great emphasis on the…" description: "\"I've always put great emphasis on the academics and getting your degree. It's important because basketball is short term. The long term is what are you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/pat-summitt-2987_balls_i-ve-always-put-great-emphasis-on-the-ac_2546618.png" --- # I've always put great emphasis on the academics and… ![“I've always put great emphasis on the academics and getting your degree. It's important because basketball is short term. The long term is what are you gonna do after college and after you no longer can bounce the ball.” quote by Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/pat-summitt-2987_balls_i-ve-always-put-great-emphasis-on-the-ac_2546618.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/pat-summitt-2987_balls_i-ve-always-put-great-emphasis-on-the-ac_2546618.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/pat-summitt-2987_balls_i-ve-always-put-great-emphasis-on-the-ac_2546618.png) > “I've always put great emphasis on the academics and getting your degree. It's important because basketball is short term. The long term is what are you gonna do after college and after you no longer can bounce the ball.” [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education provides lasting opportunities beyond a brief athletic career, emphasizing preparation for post‑sports life. **In simple terms:** Study prepares you for life after sports. Key Takeaway Invest in education now. Themes education career planning athletics future resilience Mood pragmatic motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - college athletes planning post‑graduation careers - students balancing sports and studies - parents guiding athlete children Key Concepts human capital life transition long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - How will you leverage your degree after sports? - What skills beyond basketball can you develop now? A Different Perspective Athletic success alone may not guarantee financial stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Bounce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounce/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Degree Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree-important-1106049/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Emphasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis/) [Emphasis Academics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis-academics-1481630/) [Getting Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-degree-1106050/) [Gonna College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonna-college-1481631/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-basketball-316783/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) ## Related quotes > [Getting that degree is something that is very important to me and my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khris-middleton/getting-that-degree-is-something-that-is-very-important-to-me-and-my/) [Khris Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khris-middleton/) > [I can never remember a time when I didn't want to be an actress, to be honest. And so, all through high school, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-hoover/i-can-never-remember-a-time-when-i-didn-t-want-to-be-an-actress-to-be/) [Mikaela Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-hoover/) > [I thought I was gonna go to college but, instead, I got a record deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/i-thought-i-was-gonna-go-to-college-but-instead-i-got-a-record-deal/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [All three of us - two sisters and a brother - were brought up with an emphasis on academics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/all-three-of-us-two-sisters-and-a-brother-were-brought-up-with-an/) [Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/) > [Coming from a family who put a lot of emphasis on academics, I always thought I was going to be a lawyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-enninful/coming-from-a-family-who-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-academics-i-always/) [Edward Enninful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-enninful/) > [What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/what-you-are-as-a-person-is-far-more-important-than-what-you-are-as-a/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [We have 2,500 students and an 8,000-seat basketball arena. You do the math on how important basketball is in Aberdeen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/we-have-2-500-students-and-an-8-000-seat-basketball-arena-you-do-the/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Getting my college degree has always been important to me. Guys I knew from junior golf were having success turning pro early, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-scheffler/getting-my-college-degree-has-always-been-important-to-me-guys-i-knew/) [Scottie Scheffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-scheffler/) > [I've been a Gunner for life. They play similar football to Barcelona. So ball movement and player movement is important to me in basketball;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thon-maker/i-ve-been-a-gunner-for-life-they-play-similar-football-to-barcelona/) [Thon Maker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thon-maker/) > [No matter what...ball made my heart beat faster, made me want to jump up and down and be Superman. That's what life was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/no-matter-what-ball-made-my-heart-beat-faster-made-me-want-to-jump-up/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [It's good to score, but there are some other things that are important in basketball too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/it-s-good-to-score-but-there-are-some-other-things-that-are-important/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/what-you-are-as-a-person-is-far-more-important-that-what-you-are-as-a/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [It seems everyone knows a college degree is important, but few have a plan to keep it affordable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lz-granderson/it-seems-everyone-knows-a-college-degree-is-important-but-few-have-a/) [LZ Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lz-granderson/) > [The education of the doctor which goes on after he has his degree is, after all, the most important part of his education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shaw-billings/the-education-of-the-doctor-which-goes-on-after-he-has-his-degree-is/) [John Shaw Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shaw-billings/) > [Receiving my first degree was one of the most important days of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/receiving-my-first-degree-was-one-of-the-most-important-days-of-my/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) ## More by Pat Summitt > [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 have a love-hate relationship with losing. I hate how it makes me feel, which is basically sick. But I love what it brings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-have-a-love-hate-relationship-with-losing-i-hate-how-it-makes-me/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [The willingness to experiment with change may be the most essential ingredient to success at anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/the-willingness-to-experiment-with-change-may-be-the-most-essential/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [“We installed something Dean called “the persistence drill,” which tested their stamina: they had to make consecutive full-court layups for two straight minutes—and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/we-installed-something-dean-called-the-persistence-drill-which-tested/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [I remember every player-every single one-who wore the Tennessee orange, a shade that our rivals hate, a bold, aggravating color that you can usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-remember-every-player-every-single-one-who-wore-the-tennessee/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [She taught me that it's ok to let down your guard and allow your players to get to know you. They don't care how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/she-taught-me-that-it-s-ok-to-let-down-your-guard-and-allow-your/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Coaches who start listening to fans often wind up sitting next to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/coaches-who-start-listening-to-fans-often-wind-up-sitting-next-to-them/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Change equals self improvement. Push yourself to places you haven't been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/change-equals-self-improvement-push-yourself-to-places-you-haven-t/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [You spend more of the game preparing to win in the final seconds. And that is what separates winners from losers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/you-spend-more-of-the-game-preparing-to-win-in-the-final-seconds-and/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [In order to grow, you must accept new responsibilities, no matter how uncertain you may feel or how unprepared you are to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/in-order-to-grow-you-must-accept-new-responsibilities-no-matter-how/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Rebounding wins championships, you need to emphasize it and work with kids on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/rebounding-wins-championships-you-need-to-emphasize-it-and-work-with/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Offense sells tickets, defense wins games, rebounding wins championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/offense-sells-tickets-defense-wins-games-rebounding-wins-championships/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Teamwork is what makes common people capable of uncommon results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/teamwork-is-what-makes-common-people-capable-of-uncommon-results/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [If you don't want responsibility, don't sit in the big chair. To be successful, you must accept full responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/if-you-don-t-want-responsibility-don-t-sit-in-the-big-chair-to-be/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Make Winning an Attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/make-winning-an-attitude/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) [Explore all 143 Pat Summitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [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/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) [Jerry Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-glanville/) [Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always put great emphasis on the academics and getting your degree. It's important because basketball is short term. 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