--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who could better motivate Bill Russell…" description: "\"“Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?”\" — Red Auerbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg" --- # Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell? ![“Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?” quote by Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg) > ““Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?”” [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that a person’s own drive and standards are the strongest motivators, implying self-competition is more effective than external pressure. **In simple terms:** Self‑competition fuels performance Key Takeaway One’s own standards inspire best effort Themes motivation self‑competition leadership sports psychology intrinsic drive Mood motivational insightful Type quote insight When to use this quote - coaching - team building - personal development Key Concepts motivation self‑leadership Practical Applications - coaching athletes - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders harness self‑motivation? - What role does internal competition play in growth? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. The way they played,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-lived-to-play-basketball-growing-up-as-a-kid-bill-russell-and-the/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [I guarantee you, if you could give me 10 points in all those seventh games against the Boston Celtics, instead of Bill Russell having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/i-guarantee-you-if-you-could-give-me-10-points-in-all-those-seventh/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [Couldnt you wait until at least the All-Star break to have the franchise suffer its worse loss in its storied history? Bill Russell just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/couldnt-you-wait-until-at-least-the-all-star-break-to-have-the/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [The only thing we know for sure about superiority in sports in the United States of America in the 20th century is that Bill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/the-only-thing-we-know-for-sure-about-superiority-in-sports-in-the/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I mean a lot of niggas got money. So basically, Russell aint the only Russell...Russell Brand, Russell Crow. Zero Zero Zero Zero, a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-mean-a-lot-of-niggas-got-money-so-basically-russell-aint-the-only/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Wilt Chamberlain had a great deal to do with the success of the NBA. His dominance, power, demeanor and the rivalry with Bill Russell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/wilt-chamberlain-had-a-great-deal-to-do-with-the-success-of-the-nba/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team, they are a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-boston-celtics-are-not-a-basketball-team-they-are-a-way-of-life/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [If we want the best pitcher, let's get Bobby Feller. If want the best football player, let's get Jimmy Brown; the best basketball player,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/if-we-want-the-best-pitcher-let-s-get-bobby-feller-if-want-the-best/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [The funny thing is, last summer we were golfing together, me, him and Alonzo Mourning. I don't know how to golf, but it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/the-funny-thing-is-last-summer-we-were-golfing-together-me-him-and/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [There is always going to be a Super Bowl winner, a league MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, great defenses and offenses. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-mccourty/there-is-always-going-to-be-a-super-bowl-winner-a-league-mvp-a-super/) [Devin McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-mccourty/) > [King Hov, Im exactly what the f\*\*k you think. 11 in a row, Bill Russell rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/king-hov-im-exactly-what-the-f-k-you-think-11-in-a-row-bill-russell/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I would have loved to play against Bill Russell. He was such a force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-duncan/i-would-have-loved-to-play-against-bill-russell-he-was-such-a-force/) [Tim Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-duncan/) > [Bill Russell helped make my dream a better dream because when you play with the best, you know you have to play your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/bill-russell-helped-make-my-dream-a-better-dream-because-when-you/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## More by Red Auerbach > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [The best way to forget ones self is to look at the world with attention and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-best-way-to-forget-ones-self-is-to-look-at-the-world-with/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten a better player, but I wasn't totally sure of the chemistry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/i-ve-turned-down-a-lot-of-trades-where-i-might-have-gotten-a-better/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Many, many times, the kids with the less talent become the better athletes because they're more dedicated to achieving their full potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/many-many-times-the-kids-with-the-less-talent-become-the-better/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Just do what you do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/just-do-what-you-do-best/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Take pride in what you do. The kind of pride I'm talking about is not the arrogant puffed-up kind; it's just the whole idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/take-pride-in-what-you-do-the-kind-of-pride-i-m-talking-about-is-not/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Everyone is born with a certain potential. You may never achieve your full potential, but how close you come depends on how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/everyone-is-born-with-a-certain-potential-you-may-never-achieve-your/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [To a father, when a child dies, the future dies; to a child when a parent dies, the past dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/to-a-father-when-a-child-dies-the-future-dies-to-a-child-when-a/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You see, in sports you have so many things that aren't expected. There's so much uncertainty. So when players find themselves in a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-see-in-sports-you-have-so-many-things-that-aren-t-expected-there/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You don't win games as a coach during games. You win games as a coach before games. Players win during games, not coaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-don-t-win-games-as-a-coach-during-games-you-win-games-as-a-coach/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [When business is good it pays to advertise; when it is bad you have got to advertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/when-business-is-good-it-pays-to-advertise-when-it-is-bad-you-have/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-coach-should-be-the-absolute-boss-but-he-still-should-maintain-an/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You handle animals. You deal with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-handle-animals-you-deal-with-people/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [It's not what you tell your players that counts. It's what they hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/it-s-not-what-you-tell-your-players-that-counts-it-s-what-they-hear/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [If they think we've got an edge, we've got an edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/if-they-think-we-ve-got-an-edge-we-ve-got-an-edge/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) [Explore all 46 Red Auerbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## 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": "“Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Red Auerbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-than-bill-russell/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-than-bill-russell/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/red-auerbach-14429_basketball_who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-t_92696.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?” — Red Auerbach", "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": "Red Auerbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Who could better motivate Bill Russell...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-than-bill-russell/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-than-bill-russell/#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 } } ] } ```