--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unselfishness and defense are our two…" description: "\"Unselfishness and defense are our two biggest things. That's our starting point. If you have those two things as foundational building blocks, as long ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/rick-carlisle-4940_building_unselfishness-and-defense-are-our-two-bi_3079461.jpg" --- # Unselfishness and defense are our two biggest things… ![“Unselfishness and defense are our two biggest things. That's our starting point. If you have those two things as foundational building blocks, as long as you have enough offensive talent, other things will fall into line.” quote by Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/rick-carlisle-4940_building_unselfishness-and-defense-are-our-two-bi_3079461.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/rick-carlisle-4940_building_unselfishness-and-defense-are-our-two-bi_3079461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/rick-carlisle-4940_building_unselfishness-and-defense-are-our-two-bi_3079461.jpg) > “Unselfishness and defense are our two biggest things. That's our starting point. If you have those two things as foundational building blocks, as long as you have enough offensive talent, other things will fall into line.” [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success hinges on selflessness and defense as core principles; with strong offense, other aspects align. **In simple terms:** Selflessness and defense are foundations for success. Key Takeaway Build teams on selflessness and defense. Themes teamwork defense offense leadership Mood determined focused Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - coaching - team building - game planning Key Concepts strategic foundation team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can a team maintain selflessness under pressure? - What balance of offense and defense yields best results? A Different Perspective If offense falters, foundation alone may not win games. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building blocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-blocks/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Unselfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unselfishness/) ## Related quotes > [Unselfishness along with defensive impact is going to break a lot of ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/unselfishness-along-with-defensive-impact-is-going-to-break-a-lot-of/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [If people knew how much ill-feeling unselfishness occasions, it would not be so often recommended from the pulpit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-people-knew-how-much-ill-feeling-unselfishness-occasions-it-would/) [C. S. 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Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfect health, sincerity, honesty, straightforwardness, courage, disinterestedness, unselfishness, patience, endurance, perseverance, peace, calm, self control are all things that are taught infinitely better by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/perfect-health-sincerity-honesty-straightforwardness-courage/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Rick Carlisle > [The important thing is that when you get into some stretches of inconsistency that we don't overreact on the one hand and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/the-important-thing-is-that-when-you-get-into-some-stretches-of/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [Lamar Odom is a guy we have great respect for as a person and as an all-around player in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/lamar-odom-is-a-guy-we-have-great-respect-for-as-a-person-and-as-an/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [About five years ago, the courses we run in the Field Trials were 52 percent timber. The hawks live in trees, and the quail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/about-five-years-ago-the-courses-we-run-in-the-field-trials-were-52/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [People don't talk about Tobias Harris enough. You know, he's a tremendous player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/people-don-t-talk-about-tobias-harris-enough-you-know-he-s-a/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [In the case of anything, there is risk, but there are risks worth taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/in-the-case-of-anything-there-is-risk-but-there-are-risks-worth-taking/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [A big part of life is acceptance of your situation, whatever it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/a-big-part-of-life-is-acceptance-of-your-situation-whatever-it-is/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [Every game you play is going to present different challenges. You've got to be enthusiastic about taking them on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/every-game-you-play-is-going-to-present-different-challenges-you-ve/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [What the great players in history of sport have in common is they can take the understanding of the entertainment side and fit it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/what-the-great-players-in-history-of-sport-have-in-common-is-they-can/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [If you want to get a lot of quality looks at 3s, the answer is to play fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/if-you-want-to-get-a-lot-of-quality-looks-at-3s-the-answer-is-to-play/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [Dirk carried an amazing load with the Dallas Mavericks over a period of two-plus decades that may never be rivaled again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/dirk-carried-an-amazing-load-with-the-dallas-mavericks-over-a-period/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [The piano has been a love of mine ever since I started playing in college, so having the chance to play a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/the-piano-has-been-a-love-of-mine-ever-since-i-started-playing-in/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [I partner with Mothers Against Police Brutality - was just a phenomenal group of people and helped me learn so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/i-partner-with-mothers-against-police-brutality-was-just-a-phenomenal/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [Hey, I love hard play, clean, competitive playoff series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/hey-i-love-hard-play-clean-competitive-playoff-series/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [I consider Jason Kidd a close friend now. When we were working together, it was a business relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/i-consider-jason-kidd-a-close-friend-now-when-we-were-working/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [There's so much that I learned about systemic racism, the history of racial injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/there-s-so-much-that-i-learned-about-systemic-racism-the-history-of/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) [Explore all 104 Rick Carlisle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. 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I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unselfishness and defense are our two biggest things. 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