--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first three championships that I won…" description: "\"The first three championships that I won, I won them. I had big numbers and I won them. And last year, the guys won it for me. They won it for the big..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_the-first-three-championships-that-i-won_1672328.jpg" --- # The first three championships that I won, I won them. I… ![“The first three championships that I won, I won them. I had big numbers and I won them. And last year, the guys won it for me. They won it for the big guy. Numbers are overrated. There's a lot of guys in this league who can say they've got great numbers. But they can't say they've got four rings…” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_the-first-three-championships-that-i-won_1672328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_the-first-three-championships-that-i-won_1672328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_the-first-three-championships-that-i-won_1672328.jpg) > “The first three championships that I won, I won them. I had big numbers and I won them. And last year, the guys won it for me. They won it for the big guy. Numbers are overrated. There's a lot of guys in this league who can say they've got great numbers. But they can't say they've got four rings in the last six years.” [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. Success is measured by championships, not just statistics; teamwork and timing matter more than individual numbers. **In simple terms:** Winning matters more than stats. Key Takeaway Focus on team goals, not personal stats. Themes teamwork legacy humility Mood proud reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - building championship culture - leadership development - evaluating performance - team dynamics Key Concepts sports psychology achievement collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal performance with team success? - What does “big guy” symbolize in leadership? A Different Perspective Individual stats can be misleading without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I always say I wish I was in my prime matching up against LeBron. Let's see how many championships he would have won then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-always-say-i-wish-i-was-in-my-prime-matching-up-against-lebron-let/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [You talk about winning championships, well championships are won by 12 guys, the organization, being in the right spot at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/you-talk-about-winning-championships-well-championships-are-won-by-12/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [In Phil's case, I was personally thrilled he came back, because I think it's huge for the league. When you think about what he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-popovich/in-phil-s-case-i-was-personally-thrilled-he-came-back-because-i-think/) [Gregg Popovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-popovich/) > [When I was young I was on punishment a lot and I used to watch a lot of TV, and I asked myself a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/when-i-was-young-i-was-on-punishment-a-lot-and-i-used-to-watch-a-lot/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [The biggest thing that will define my legacy is how I've done it, and what I've done, and who I am. I'm a weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/the-biggest-thing-that-will-define-my-legacy-is-how-i-ve-done-it-and/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Euro 2012 was my first title, yet most of the other guys have already won plenty of silverware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/euro-2012-was-my-first-title-yet-most-of-the-other-guys-have-already/) [Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/) > [There was nothing that said the road to popular vote. Hey guys, we won. You don't have to respond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/there-was-nothing-that-said-the-road-to-popular-vote-hey-guys-we-won/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [When people talk about the great quarterbacks, it's almost exclusively the guys who have won Super Bowls. There have been some very good ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-moon/when-people-talk-about-the-great-quarterbacks-it-s-almost-exclusively/) [Warren Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-moon/) > [A couple of guys won Academy Awards for the things that I turned down. Today, after coming to terms with everything, after being in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/a-couple-of-guys-won-academy-awards-for-the-things-that-i-turned-down/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I think any time you bring those guys in, one with a lot of playoff experience, with rings - those guys won - guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-think-any-time-you-bring-those-guys-in-one-with-a-lot-of-playoff/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Somewhere, something incredible happened in history - the wrong guys won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/somewhere-something-incredible-happened-in-history-the-wrong-guys-won/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [I know how it feels when you're coming into a new situation, that the other guys won the election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-know-how-it-feels-when-you-re-coming-into-a-new-situation-that-the/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I just think winners win. And guys who won all the way through high school and college, the best player at every level, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/i-just-think-winners-win-and-guys-who-won-all-the-way-through-high/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Young ghetto boys thought that in this society, the good guys lost and the bad guys won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/young-ghetto-boys-thought-that-in-this-society-the-good-guys-lost-and/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [One little secret of the guys who have won one slam, is that we don't want other guys to win one because its like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-roddick/one-little-secret-of-the-guys-who-have-won-one-slam-is-that-we-don-t/) [Andy Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-roddick/) ## 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": "The first three championships that I won, I won them. I had big numbers and I won them. And last year, the guys won it for me. They won it for the big guy. Numbers are overrated. There's a lot of guys in this league who can say they've got great numbers. 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