--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't know there was an NBA draft. But…" description: "\"I didn't know there was an NBA draft. But in my mind, I was always telling myself, one day, 'I'm going to be in professional basketball.' And I believe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/serge-ibaka-5301_basketball_i-didn-t-know-there-was-an-nba-draft-but_1844711.png" --- # I didn't know there was an NBA draft. But in my mind, I… ![“I didn't know there was an NBA draft. But in my mind, I was always telling myself, one day, 'I'm going to be in professional basketball.' And I believed it. One day, I will. I believe this every day. I think about this every day. I was going to do whatever I had to do to be there. And it comes true.” quote by Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/serge-ibaka-5301_basketball_i-didn-t-know-there-was-an-nba-draft-but_1844711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/serge-ibaka-5301_basketball_i-didn-t-know-there-was-an-nba-draft-but_1844711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/serge-ibaka-5301_basketball_i-didn-t-know-there-was-an-nba-draft-but_1844711.png) > “I didn't know there was an NBA draft. But in my mind, I was always telling myself, one day, 'I'm going to be in professional basketball.' And I believed it. One day, I will. I believe this every day. I think about this every day. I was going to do whatever I had to do to be there. And it comes true.” [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑belief and persistent visualization of a professional goal can drive the actions needed to achieve it, illustrating the power of mental rehearsal. **In simple terms:** Believing in yourself and visualizing success helps you achieve it. Key Takeaway Maintain daily belief and work toward your goal. Themes motivation goal setting self‑belief visualization perseverance Mood determined optimistic focused Type motivational inspirational personal development When to use this quote - career planning - training routines - goal visualization - self‑talk - performance mindset Key Concepts psychology of achievement mental rehearsal sports ambition Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance belief with realistic planning? - What daily habits support long‑term athletic goals? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to neglect of practical preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [There's so many stories about guys who made it to the NBA without the draft. Overseas, whatever, call-ups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/there-s-so-many-stories-about-guys-who-made-it-to-the-nba-without-the/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I have watched the NBA draft just about every year, so to see myself up there, that is something I am excited about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-favors/i-have-watched-the-nba-draft-just-about-every-year-so-to-see-myself/) [Derrick Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-favors/) > [If you had first pick in the all-free agent NBA draft, you'd take LeBron James.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/if-you-had-first-pick-in-the-all-free-agent-nba-draft-you-d-take/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [A lot of teams made a mistake in the NBA draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-howard/a-lot-of-teams-made-a-mistake-in-the-nba-draft/) [Josh Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-howard/) > [I'm happy to be here at the NBA Draft no matter where I go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-favors/i-m-happy-to-be-here-at-the-nba-draft-no-matter-where-i-go/) [Derrick Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-favors/) > [I went to school to Washburn to play basketball, and I always believed if basketball didn't work out I could fall back on golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-woodland/i-went-to-school-to-washburn-to-play-basketball-and-i-always-believed/) [Gary Woodland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-woodland/) > [I know people that was playing basketball better than me. If they were in the NBA, they could be All-Stars, those people. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-know-people-that-was-playing-basketball-better-than-me-if-they-were/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [It's not like being a professional basketball player where you're in a big house. Maybe three, four or five guys make a couple million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-grillo/it-s-not-like-being-a-professional-basketball-player-where-you-re-in/) [Frank Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-grillo/) > [If I hadn't become a professional basketball player, I would have become a history teacher. There's so much to learn from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/if-i-hadn-t-become-a-professional-basketball-player-i-would-have/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I am focusing on the process of making my dream come true, which is to play professional basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-am-focusing-on-the-process-of-making-my-dream-come-true-which-is-to/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [It was even hard to imagine I was going to play in the NBA, because so many guys playing in Europe are not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/it-was-even-hard-to-imagine-i-was-going-to-play-in-the-nba-because-so/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [Coming from Europe as trying to get in the NBA, the draft process, the draft workouts - really, really hard. They work you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juancho-hernangomez/coming-from-europe-as-trying-to-get-in-the-nba-the-draft-process-the/) [Juancho Hernangomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juancho-hernangomez/) > [I was real excited. I finally got a chance to walk up and shake David Sterns hand, Ive been thinking of that all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-westbrook/i-was-real-excited-i-finally-got-a-chance-to-walk-up-and-shake-david/) [Russell Westbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-westbrook/) > [I have seen about every side of professional basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/i-have-seen-about-every-side-of-professional-basketball/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [There was no professional basketball for me in the United States when I was in grade school and middle school. I could look to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-bird/there-was-no-professional-basketball-for-me-in-the-united-states-when/) [Sue Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-bird/) ## More by Serge Ibaka > [One of the things I learned playing on a good team is when the team wins, when you make the playoffs, everybody looks good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/one-of-the-things-i-learned-playing-on-a-good-team-is-when-the-team/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Not everybody can do everything at a high level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/not-everybody-can-do-everything-at-a-high-level/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [My dad used to play basketball, now he gets to see me in the NBA Finals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/my-dad-used-to-play-basketball-now-he-gets-to-see-me-in-the-nba-finals/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I love to lift after games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-love-to-lift-after-games/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [My father was always pushing me to become a basketball player. In Africa, when you're a kid, every kid loves to play soccer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/my-father-was-always-pushing-me-to-become-a-basketball-player-in/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I'm not really good at asking people questions in interviews. I just try to have fun, to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-m-not-really-good-at-asking-people-questions-in-interviews-i-just/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Money will not make you happy. It's most important that you need to be happy. You need to do something you want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/money-will-not-make-you-happy-it-s-most-important-that-you-need-to-be/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [End of the day, when you do something, you have to do something where you bring people together. You can't do something where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/end-of-the-day-when-you-do-something-you-have-to-do-something-where/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I always put in the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-always-put-in-the-work/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [My confidence comes on defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/my-confidence-comes-on-defense/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I've been learning when to block shots against who I'm playing. I'm not just going to leave a shooter to go block shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-ve-been-learning-when-to-block-shots-against-who-i-m-playing-i-m/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Where I come from, dressing is a culture. When I go back home, I cannot dress bad. I cannot miss, or people will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/where-i-come-from-dressing-is-a-culture-when-i-go-back-home-i-cannot/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [You can't force people to love you. If you love somebody, you love them because you love them. People who love you, it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/you-can-t-force-people-to-love-you-if-you-love-somebody-you-love-them/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [It's always fun to play on a winning team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/it-s-always-fun-to-play-on-a-winning-team/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [I know people that was playing basketball better than me. If they were in the NBA, they could be All-Stars, those people. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-know-people-that-was-playing-basketball-better-than-me-if-they-were/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) [Explore all 102 Serge Ibaka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) ## 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 didn't know there was an NBA draft. 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