--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A player is not going to get minutes just…" description: "\"A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes. You have to impact winning, you have to put the team first.\" — Tom Thibodeau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png" --- # A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes… ![“A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes. You have to impact winning, you have to put the team first.” quote by Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png) > “A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes. You have to impact winning, you have to put the team first.” [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing time should be earned by contributing to wins, not merely for participation; team success is priority. **In simple terms:** Earn minutes by helping the team win. Key Takeaway Prioritize team impact over personal playtime. Themes sports teamwork performance Mood strategic motivational Type coaching leadership When to use this quote - basketball games - training sessions - player rotations - strategy meetings Key Concepts efficiency coaching philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance development and winning? - What metrics best measure a player's impact? A Different Perspective Sometimes players need development time even if not immediately winning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Team first](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team-first/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I think everybody's goal is to start, and try to impact winning as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-herro/i-think-everybody-s-goal-is-to-start-and-try-to-impact-winning-as/) [Tyler Herro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-herro/) > [Each game, each series, there's so many different things that are going on and you have to find different ways to impact winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-spoelstra/each-game-each-series-there-s-so-many-different-things-that-are-going/) [Erik Spoelstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-spoelstra/) > [To cross the line for the team, to have an impact on winning the game - that's why I play this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/to-cross-the-line-for-the-team-to-have-an-impact-on-winning-the-game/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [I'm not the type of player that's going to run in behind or go past three and score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-crouch/i-m-not-the-type-of-player-that-s-going-to-run-in-behind-or-go-past/) [Peter Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-crouch/) > [You can't rush the miles. No matter how fast I run, the five miles isn't going to be done in the first five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herjavec/you-can-t-rush-the-miles-no-matter-how-fast-i-run-the-five-miles-isn/) [Robert Herjavec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herjavec/) > [When I usually go to my studio to work, I start with something that is going to take two minutes just to put some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geddy-lee/when-i-usually-go-to-my-studio-to-work-i-start-with-something-that-is/) [Geddy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geddy-lee/) > [Because a football game is just sixty minutes, but I'm training six, seven hours in every day. So, going for sixty minutes becomes easy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/because-a-football-game-is-just-sixty-minutes-but-i-m-training-six/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [Settle down, precious. I know what youre going through. Ten minutes before you got here, I was gonna jump, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/settle-down-precious-i-know-what-youre-going-through-ten-minutes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm going to find my minutes to do something really well to help my team. Whether that's pushing the ball really fast down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/i-m-going-to-find-my-minutes-to-do-something-really-well-to-help-my/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [“I wish dogs understood: 'We're going in five minutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregor-collins/i-wish-dogs-understood-we-re-going-in-five-minutes/) [Gregor Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregor-collins/) > [We are all drawn to problems and solving problems. Joy doesn't demand our time. So we have to mark that time on our schedules.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-st-john/we-are-all-drawn-to-problems-and-solving-problems-joy-doesn-t-demand/) [Bonnie St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-st-john/) > [At the end of the day in our sport, you just have to sacrifice yourself completely to put the team first. That's not easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christen-press/at-the-end-of-the-day-in-our-sport-you-just-have-to-sacrifice/) [Christen Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christen-press/) > [Those things that are basically foundational - hard work, high standards, playing for your teammates, putting the team first - those things are ingrained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/those-things-that-are-basically-foundational-hard-work-high-standards/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) > [To be successful in football, you have to do things that put the team first. Everyone has to play their role, and if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/to-be-successful-in-football-you-have-to-do-things-that-put-the-team/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) ## More by Tom Thibodeau > [If you don't control the ball, you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/if-you-don-t-control-the-ball-you-re-dead/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [I think the important thing for me is to just be able to have a voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/i-think-the-important-thing-for-me-is-to-just-be-able-to-have-a-voice/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [As a head coach, you're always concerned how you pace the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/as-a-head-coach-you-re-always-concerned-how-you-pace-the-team/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [When you look at coaching in the pros 25-plus years, I have been with rebuilding teams and I have been with championship teams, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/when-you-look-at-coaching-in-the-pros-25-plus-years-i-have-been-with/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [There are no short cuts. If you want to do something special, there's a serious price to pay. There's no way around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/there-are-no-short-cuts-if-you-want-to-do-something-special-there-s-a/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [I never look at a clock. When the work's done, the work's done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/i-never-look-at-a-clock-when-the-work-s-done-the-work-s-done/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [Passing and defense are two things that help build your team, brings the best out of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/passing-and-defense-are-two-things-that-help-build-your-team-brings/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [When you look at what a coach does, it is leadership, it is communication, it is teaching, it is motivation. It really comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/when-you-look-at-what-a-coach-does-it-is-leadership-it-is/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [You can have a great season, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're great. To be great you have to do it year after year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/you-can-have-a-great-season-but-that-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-you-re/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [The teams that win consistently, they put the work into it and they don't skip steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/the-teams-that-win-consistently-they-put-the-work-into-it-and-they/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [You have to have core values. What do you believe in? Do you believe in hard work? Do you believe in discipline? Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/you-have-to-have-core-values-what-do-you-believe-in-do-you-believe-in/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [I think I experienced it during the '90s that there's no better place to be than Madison Square Garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/i-think-i-experienced-it-during-the-90s-that-there-s-no-better-place/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [It is rare when you have the opportunity to get a top-10 player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/it-is-rare-when-you-have-the-opportunity-to-get-a-top-10-player/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [There's obviously different roads you can go down. And I think if you study it, how teams are built - and I went through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/there-s-obviously-different-roads-you-can-go-down-and-i-think-if-you/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [In some cases where the team is mixed, there's almost two practices going on in one, where your young guys are getting the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/in-some-cases-where-the-team-is-mixed-there-s-almost-two-practices/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) [Explore all 109 Tom Thibodeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) ## More First quotes > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [I watched the movie 'What We Do in the Shadows' in a packed theater when it first came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-watched-the-movie-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-in-a-packed-theater/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Our fashion for us, it's an expression; first of all of life, I put all of myself in my fashion. Sometimes it's good, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefano-gabbana/our-fashion-for-us-it-s-an-expression-first-of-all-of-life-i-put-all/) [Stefano Gabbana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefano-gabbana/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [The first draft is usually junk. You have to work on it seven to eight times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/the-first-draft-is-usually-junk-you-have-to-work-on-it-seven-to-eight/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [When I first started, all the reviews of Cold Chisel would say, 'This singer won't have a voice in six months.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/when-i-first-started-all-the-reviews-of-cold-chisel-would-say-this/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) Browse all 9,159 First quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes. You have to impact winning, you have to put the team first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Thibodeau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-just-to-get-minutes-you-have-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-just-to-get-minutes-you-have-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tom-thibodeau-4564_first_a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-jus_2589314.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A player is not going to get minutes just to get minutes. You have to impact winning, you have to put the…” — Tom Thibodeau", "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": "Tom Thibodeau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A player is not going to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-just-to-get-minutes-you-have-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/a-player-is-not-going-to-get-minutes-just-to-get-minutes-you-have-to/#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 } } ] } ```