---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, I never knew I was going to be a…"
description: "\"Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.\" — Shaun Livingston"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg"
---

#  Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.

![“Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.” quote by Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg)

> “Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.”

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Self-doubt can mask potential until confidence is built through experience.

**In simple terms:** Self-doubt hides future greatness.

Key Takeaway

Trust the process and keep learning.

Themes

confidence potential resilience

Mood

inspirational optimistic

Type

motivational sports

When to use this quote

- athletics
- career transitions
- team dynamics

Key Concepts

Sports psychology mindset growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What skill are you developing?
- How do you measure progress?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can lead to complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-player/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Knew Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-going/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Oh Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh-knew-5219953/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/)

## Related quotes

> [Oh if only, if only you knew, everything I do is for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-if-only-if-only-you-knew-everything-i-do-is-for-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I always, somehow, knew that I was going to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-always-somehow-knew-that-i-was-going-to-dance/)

[Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/)

> [I always knew that I was going to be a writer. There was no question in my mind about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/i-always-knew-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-writer-there-was-no-question/)

[J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/)

> [I knew I had the right material and I knew what I was going after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-knew-i-had-the-right-material-and-i-knew-what-i-was-going-after/)

[George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/)

> [I always knew I was going to play with Messi one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ousmane-dembele/i-always-knew-i-was-going-to-play-with-messi-one-day/)

[Ousmane Dembele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ousmane-dembele/)

> [By the time I was about 15, I was out playing gigs and knew I was going to be a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/by-the-time-i-was-about-15-i-was-out-playing-gigs-and-knew-i-was/)

[Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/)

> [I was in fittings for the first costume even before I knew I was even going to be 'Deathlok.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-was-in-fittings-for-the-first-costume-even-before-i-knew-i-was-even/)

[J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/)

> [It amazes me when I hear people say, 'I want to go out and find out who I am.' I always knew who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/it-amazes-me-when-i-hear-people-say-i-want-to-go-out-and-find-out-who/)

[Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/)

> [I believe I can be a great player for Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/i-believe-i-can-be-a-great-player-for-manchester-united/)

[Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/)

> [Stanley Johnson's going to be a great player in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-crowder/stanley-johnson-s-going-to-be-a-great-player-in-this-league/)

[Jae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-crowder/)

> [He's got everything. He' not a great player yet because he hasn't won any major championships, but it's a matter of time. He's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-price/he-s-got-everything-he-not-a-great-player-yet-because-he-hasn-t-won/)

[Nick Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-price/)

> [I've got to give Larry Bird his due; he was a great player. He knew the game and he was smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/i-ve-got-to-give-larry-bird-his-due-he-was-a-great-player-he-knew-the/)

[Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/)

> [I wanted to be a great player, and I wasn't. I never got over that. I take that same energy into coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-great-player-and-i-wasn-t-i-never-got-over-that-i/)

[Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/)

> [I knew I was going to go into the field and make fun of people to their faces. I knew what I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-knew-i-was-going-to-go-into-the-field-and-make-fun-of-people-to/)

[John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/)

> [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/)

[John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/)

## More by Shaun Livingston

> [I can be The Man. I have the skills and the tools to do it. I just have to play to my potential. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-can-be-the-man-i-have-the-skills-and-the-tools-to-do-it-i-just-have/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I never want to forget that I'm not anything special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-never-want-to-forget-that-i-m-not-anything-special/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [We all have those friends that tick to their drum, and you don't want them to tick to anybody else's drum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/we-all-have-those-friends-that-tick-to-their-drum-and-you-don-t-want/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I always thought I would have a good feel in the basketball office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-always-thought-i-would-have-a-good-feel-in-the-basketball-office/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [But yeah, a lot of people compare me to Magic. The physical appearance, the tall point guard, the ability to pass the ball. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/but-yeah-a-lot-of-people-compare-me-to-magic-the-physical-appearance/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I played with the Clippers when Golden State really wasn't cracking like that and Oracle Arena was still jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-played-with-the-clippers-when-golden-state-really-wasn-t-cracking/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [If you don't go through life making excuses, you save yourself, your friends, and parents a lot of trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/if-you-don-t-go-through-life-making-excuses-you-save-yourself-your/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [This is a game, don't put too much stress on yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/this-is-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-stress-on-yourself/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I had to teach myself how to walk again. It was crazy. I couldn't even make a muscle in my leg. I felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-had-to-teach-myself-how-to-walk-again-it-was-crazy-i-couldn-t-even/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I'm taking care of my body, getting my treatment, I'm in the weight room... I'm doing everything I can to stay healthy, and hopefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-m-taking-care-of-my-body-getting-my-treatment-i-m-in-the-weight/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I've been even-keeled my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-ve-been-even-keeled-my-whole-life/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [Once you go through something and come out of the storm, you've been tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/once-you-go-through-something-and-come-out-of-the-storm-you-ve-been/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [It's just kind of ironic with how I came into the NBA with all the expectations. You would've thought coming in the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/it-s-just-kind-of-ironic-with-how-i-came-into-the-nba-with-all-the/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [I was kind of at the turning point in my career with my knee. I was dealing with the struggles of trying to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-was-kind-of-at-the-turning-point-in-my-career-with-my-knee-i-was/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

> [Eleven years in the league, I haven't had a dirty play. I haven't made a name in this league by playing that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/eleven-years-in-the-league-i-haven-t-had-a-dirty-play-i-haven-t-made/)

[Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

[Explore all 100 Shaun Livingston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/)

## More Going quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/)

[Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/)

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/)

[Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/)

> [“I’m not even going to ask you where you got that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mackey/i-m-not-even-going-to-ask-you-where-you-got-that/)

[Mark Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mackey/)

> [This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There's no way that guy is going to get in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/this-is-how-mcgregor-is-waging-mental-warfare-before-the-fights-there/)

[Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/)

> [For me, going to Minneapolis is like going to Mecca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/for-me-going-to-minneapolis-is-like-going-to-mecca/)

[Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/)

> [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/)

[Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/)

> [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/)

[Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/)

> [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/)

[Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

> [I want to help people struggling with whatever it is they're going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santan-dave/i-want-to-help-people-struggling-with-whatever-it-is-they-re-going/)

[Santan Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santan-dave/)

[Browse all 15,485 Going quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Shaun Livingston"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-player/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Going"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-player/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/shaun-livingston-5529_going_oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-grea_777403.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Oh, I never knew I was going to be a great player.” — Shaun Livingston",
                "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": "Shaun Livingston",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Oh, I never knew I was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-player/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/oh-i-never-knew-i-was-going-to-be-a-great-player/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
