--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On paper, I think this is the best team…" description: "\"On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on.\" — Shaquille O'Neal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg" --- # On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on. ![“On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg) > “On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on.” [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes his current team is the strongest he has ever played with **In simple terms:** He thinks this team is his best ever Key Takeaway Recognize and value strong teamwork Themes team excellence sports performance confidence Mood proud optimistic Type sports commentary team appreciation When to use this quote - season preparation - team building - competition - career highlights Key Concepts leadership team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What makes a team the best? - How can you sustain high performance? A Different Perspective Team success can be fleeting without continued effort ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been a leader. Every team I've played on, I've led my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-ve-always-been-a-leader-every-team-i-ve-played-on-i-ve-led-my-way/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [There's always a team behind the team. We've got our off-field guys looking after us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/there-s-always-a-team-behind-the-team-we-ve-got-our-off-field-guys/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [I've been part of a team and leader of the team. But wherever I've been, I've worked as if that was the only opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-ve-been-part-of-a-team-and-leader-of-the-team-but-wherever-i-ve/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) > [Every single team that I've played for, every single person would tell you that I've given it everything every single day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/every-single-team-that-i-ve-played-for-every-single-person-would-tell/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Arsenal is the only team I've been at for more than a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-white/arsenal-is-the-only-team-i-ve-been-at-for-more-than-a-year/) [Ben White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-white/) > [“I've never liked the word team . I've always equated it with being picked last and getting nailed in the groin with a dodgeball.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-castillo-price/i-ve-never-liked-the-word-team-i-ve-always-equated-it-with-being/) [Jordan Castillo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-castillo-price/) > [I never had a problem with a coach in my life, no matter what team I've been in on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/i-never-had-a-problem-with-a-coach-in-my-life-no-matter-what-team-i/) [Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/) > [Wearing the same shirts doesn't make a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-buchholz/wearing-the-same-shirts-doesn-t-make-a-team/) Clay Buchholz > [If you're in the best team in the world, you or your teammate have to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-alonso/if-you-re-in-the-best-team-in-the-world-you-or-your-teammate-have-to/) [Fernando Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-alonso/) > [Good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating the building blocks for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-sundquist/good-teams-incorporate-teamwork-into-their-culture-creating-the/) Ted Sundquist > [I try my best to do what's best for the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/i-try-my-best-to-do-what-s-best-for-the-team/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [In all things, you need a good organization. You can have the best player in the world; if you do not have the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eto-o/in-all-things-you-need-a-good-organization-you-can-have-the-best/) [Samuel Eto'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eto-o/) > [“Train like yours is the worst team, play like yours is the best team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/train-like-yours-is-the-worst-team-play-like-yours-is-the-best-team/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People have been known to achieve more as a result of working with others than against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-fromme/people-have-been-known-to-achieve-more-as-a-result-of-working-with/) Allan Fromme > [We want to beat the best team in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/we-want-to-beat-the-best-team-in-the-world/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) ## More by Shaquille O'Neal > [ 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/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [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/) > [I don't send messages, I'm not a fax machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-don-t-send-messages-i-m-not-a-fax-machine/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was really upset. I felt like they tried to limit me, whoever 'they' may be. So I just said to myself third quarter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-was-really-upset-i-felt-like-they-tried-to-limit-me-whoever-they/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm still the baddest expletive in the world. Yeah, I'm getting older, but Kareem got older. Hakeem got older. I don't need Earthlings' respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-still-the-baddest-expletive-in-the-world-yeah-i-m-getting-older/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Write this: Since my boy is the coach, I'm going to try out for the Dolphins next year. Tight end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/write-this-since-my-boy-is-the-coach-i-m-going-to-try-out-for-the/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Everybody talks about being a role model. But if you look up the word 'role' in a dictionary, it describes playing a part. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everybody-talks-about-being-a-role-model-but-if-you-look-up-the-word/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Why don't you bring your face up here and let me punch it? Then you can tell me (if I'm stronger).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/why-don-t-you-bring-your-face-up-here-and-let-me-punch-it-then-you/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm known as The Big Baryshnikov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-known-as-the-big-baryshnikov/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Enunciation, diction, all that stuff. None of that is in my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/enunciation-diction-all-that-stuff-none-of-that-is-in-my-personality/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told Leonard, in the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2, 'I'm going on vacation. If I tell you where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-leonard-in-the-immortal-words-of-tom-cruise-in-mission/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score 0 points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/stats-don-t-matter-i-care-about-winning-not-stats-if-i-score-0-points/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) [Explore all 422 Shaquille O'Neal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## 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": "On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shaquille O'Neal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i-ve-been-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i-ve-been-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c2/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i_1579232.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On paper, I think this is the best team I've been on.” — Shaquille O'Neal", "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": "Shaquille O'Neal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On paper, I think this is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i-ve-been-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/on-paper-i-think-this-is-the-best-team-i-ve-been-on/#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 } } ] } ```