--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing the game at a high level…" description: "\"Playing the game at a high level, understanding what it's like to get to where I've already been and where they want to go. I tell those kids that we'r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/penny-hardaway-8364_court_playing-the-game-at-a-high-level-underst_2598382.jpg" --- # Playing the game at a high level, understanding what it's… ![“Playing the game at a high level, understanding what it's like to get to where I've already been and where they want to go. I tell those kids that we're going to develop you, we're going to teach you, and we're going to have you ready off the court and on the court to be an NBA player.” quote by Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/penny-hardaway-8364_court_playing-the-game-at-a-high-level-underst_2598382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/penny-hardaway-8364_court_playing-the-game-at-a-high-level-underst_2598382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fb/penny-hardaway-8364_court_playing-the-game-at-a-high-level-underst_2598382.jpg) > “Playing the game at a high level, understanding what it's like to get to where I've already been and where they want to go. I tell those kids that we're going to develop you, we're going to teach you, and we're going to have you ready off the court and on the court to be an NBA player.” [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mentorship and skill development prepare athletes for professional success. **In simple terms:** Teach and prepare athletes for the NBA. Key Takeaway Invest in youth development programs. Themes sports mentorship development Mood inspiring encouraging Type motivational educational When to use this quote - high school basketball - training camps - college recruitment - professional scouting Key Concepts skill acquisition career pathways Questions to Reflect On - What resources best support young athletes? - How measure measure progress? A Different Perspective Not all talent reaches the NBA. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Develop Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-going-1922643/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Game High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-high-537848/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [High level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-level/) [Nba player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba-player/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-game/) [Playing The Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-the-game/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Teach Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-going-663632/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [We have sex education - I'm for it, I'm not against it. But any curriculum should recognize that it's young people's job to invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/we-have-sex-education-i-m-for-it-i-m-not-against-it-but-any/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I enjoy playing the game of football. I think I play it best when it's at its simplest form and I'm just having fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bortles/i-enjoy-playing-the-game-of-football-i-think-i-play-it-best-when-it-s/) [Blake Bortles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bortles/) > [Imagine if you're playing at home and your girlfriend is badgering you all the time not to play. Wouldn't it be great to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/imagine-if-you-re-playing-at-home-and-your-girlfriend-is-badgering/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [I will try to make my career as long as possible. For me, it's not about money, so I just love playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristaps-porzingis/i-will-try-to-make-my-career-as-long-as-possible-for-me-it-s-not/) [Kristaps Porzingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristaps-porzingis/) > [I was playing the game where I was going to be a great TV or film writer some day and there was nothing else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-was-playing-the-game-where-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-tv-or-film/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [Im playing the game just like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cf/im-playing-the-game-just-like-you/) [Cf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cf/) > [If Jesus were playing the game, I don't know what he'd do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-whelchel/if-jesus-were-playing-the-game-i-don-t-know-what-he-d-do/) [Lisa Whelchel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-whelchel/) > [You can't worry about intimidating me and playing the game at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-naroditsky/you-can-t-worry-about-intimidating-me-and-playing-the-game-at-the/) [Daniel Naroditsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-naroditsky/) > [Playing the game is far more satisfying than reading the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-haisch/playing-the-game-is-far-more-satisfying-than-reading-the-rules/) [Bernard Haisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-haisch/) > [Don't let the fear of striking out keep you away from playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-let-the-fear-of-striking-out-keep-you-away-from-playing-the-game/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Playing point guard was/is where I am comfortable. It is where I grew up playing the game since age 5.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-reaves/playing-point-guard-was-is-where-i-am-comfortable-it-is-where-i-grew/) [Austin Reaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-reaves/) > [I just have a lot of fun playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-levert/i-just-have-a-lot-of-fun-playing-the-game/) [Caris LeVert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-levert/) > [Dont let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game<3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-cinderella-story/dont-let-the-fear-of-striking-out-keep-you-from-playing-the-game-3/) [A Cinderella Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-cinderella-story/) > [I don't see any point in playing the game if you don't win, do you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-didrikson-zaharias/i-don-t-see-any-point-in-playing-the-game-if-you-don-t-win-do-you/) [Babe Didrikson Zaharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-didrikson-zaharias/) > [I like baseball. I think that's the main thing. I enjoy playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/i-like-baseball-i-think-that-s-the-main-thing-i-enjoy-playing-the-game/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) ## More by Penny Hardaway > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I like to speed teams up. I don't like them to get in their rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-like-to-speed-teams-up-i-don-t-like-them-to-get-in-their-rhythm/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [There are a lot of people who came out of adverse situations and made it. Use it as motivation. Use it to drive you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-came-out-of-adverse-situations-and-made/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [Of course you want people to notice you're back, and you're playing well just to be respected. Because I was an All-Star, a first-team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/of-course-you-want-people-to-notice-you-re-back-and-you-re-playing/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I feel like I've paid attention to all the great coaches who have coached me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-feel-like-i-ve-paid-attention-to-all-the-great-coaches-who-have/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [People think I'm soft and bailed out on basketball. But it was five knee surgeries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/people-think-i-m-soft-and-bailed-out-on-basketball-but-it-was-five/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [Basketball gave me an avenue to live my dream, and I just want to help other kids live their dreams through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/basketball-gave-me-an-avenue-to-live-my-dream-and-i-just-want-to-help/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I want to finish my career on a high note.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-want-to-finish-my-career-on-a-high-note/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [There's the hardest thing - when you cannot be as athletic or perform at a level you really want to. Your mind is telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/there-s-the-hardest-thing-when-you-cannot-be-as-athletic-or-perform/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I have two people that I mainly look up to: Magic Johnson is one of them. He just blew everything out of the water.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-have-two-people-that-i-mainly-look-up-to-magic-johnson-is-one-of/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [If I've learned anything, it's that you can't take anything for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/if-i-ve-learned-anything-it-s-that-you-can-t-take-anything-for-granted/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [Mentally I was retired, and physically I was retired. I was playing recreational ball. But when the decision happened with Chris Bosh and LeBron,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/mentally-i-was-retired-and-physically-i-was-retired-i-was-playing/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I'm getting used to this as a coach because it's a little jealousy from a lot of these coaches around the country. I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-m-getting-used-to-this-as-a-coach-because-it-s-a-little-jealousy/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I want to leave a mark on society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/i-want-to-leave-a-mark-on-society/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) [Explore all 81 Penny Hardaway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) ## More Court quotes > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [I have always worked really hard off the court. I think it's helped me play more consistently on the tour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/i-have-always-worked-really-hard-off-the-court-i-think-it-s-helped-me/) [Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [They will find somebody younger, somebody funnier, somebody more engaged. As long as the court genre is viable, people are going to be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/they-will-find-somebody-younger-somebody-funnier-somebody-more/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [A federal court has ruled that the U.S. Postal Service must reduce its stamp prices. The change in stamp prices is expected to affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-federal-court-has-ruled-that-the-u-s-postal-service-must-reduce-its/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [What I do know is I'm going to give absolute 100 percent effort any time I'm on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/what-i-do-know-is-i-m-going-to-give-absolute-100-percent-effort-any/) [Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [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/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Off the court, I tend to stick to the classics, but I like to have fun with color and accessories. I'm from Spain, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/off-the-court-i-tend-to-stick-to-the-classics-but-i-like-to-have-fun/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) [Browse all 4,024 Court quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Playing the game at a high level, understanding what it's like to get to where I've already been and where they want to go. 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