--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Coming here, I never thought about being…" description: "\"Coming here, I never thought about being like what I was supposed to be in Europe, the No. 1 guy and building the whole team around you. Coming here, I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/toni-kukoc-5248_building_coming-here-i-never-thought-about-being_1021973.png" --- # Coming here, I never thought about being like what I was… ![“Coming here, I never thought about being like what I was supposed to be in Europe, the No. 1 guy and building the whole team around you. Coming here, I was relaxed about that because I knew there was going to be Michael, Scottie, Horace and I could learn from them.” quote by Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/toni-kukoc-5248_building_coming-here-i-never-thought-about-being_1021973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/toni-kukoc-5248_building_coming-here-i-never-thought-about-being_1021973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/toni-kukoc-5248_building_coming-here-i-never-thought-about-being_1021973.png) > “Coming here, I never thought about being like what I was supposed to be in Europe, the No. 1 guy and building the whole team around you. Coming here, I was relaxed about that because I knew there was going to be Michael, Scottie, Horace and I could learn from them.” [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on transitioning to Europe, learning from veteran teammates, and building a supportive team around him. **In simple terms:** He valued learning from experienced teammates in Europe. Key Takeaway Embrace mentorship and teamwork. Themes growth teamwork learning leadership Mood reflective optimistic Type inspirational personal development When to use this quote - joining a new league - building a team - adapting to culture - seeking guidance Key Concepts sports dynamics career transition mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal goals with team needs? - What mentors can you seek today? A Different Perspective May overlook personal ambition in favor of group harmony. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) ## Related quotes > [I've talked to a lot of artists - painters, writers, musicians - many of whom have had great ideas on trains. The only explanation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gabriel/i-ve-talked-to-a-lot-of-artists-painters-writers-musicians-many-of/) [Peter Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gabriel/) > [The gender parity is something that has been organic to Eventbrite since we started building a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/the-gender-parity-is-something-that-has-been-organic-to-eventbrite/) [Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/) > [I have always been there to help the team, sometimes coming off the bench, other times as a starter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul/i-have-always-been-there-to-help-the-team-sometimes-coming-off-the/) [Raul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul/) > [Wearing the same uniform doesn't make you a team. Coming together is the start. Playing together is progress. Working together is success. And winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wearing-the-same-uniform-doesn-t-make-you-a-team-coming-together-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We got almost the entire team coming back; we only had two seniors last year. We plan not just on making it back, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-oats/we-got-almost-the-entire-team-coming-back-we-only-had-two-seniors/) [Nate Oats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-oats/) > [If you get under water, you're at the mercy of our team coming in and getting us before we get another one on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/if-you-get-under-water-you-re-at-the-mercy-of-our-team-coming-in-and/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I have some very special guests tonight, and I would like to give a big welcome to the Wayne State men and women's rugby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-have-some-very-special-guests-tonight-and-i-would-like-to-give-a/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [For the past few months I've kept up with the signings in Western New York and its really a great team they've put together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/for-the-past-few-months-i-ve-kept-up-with-the-signings-in-western-new/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [I think that's part of building your team is trying to anticipate where your team is going and to a certain extent where, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/i-think-that-s-part-of-building-your-team-is-trying-to-anticipate/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [I know that any group of people can become a team if they do the right things, but I came to realize over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/i-know-that-any-group-of-people-can-become-a-team-if-they-do-the/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Trust is the foundation of real teamwork. And so the first dysfunction is a failure on the part of team members to understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trust-is-the-foundation-of-real-teamwork-and-so-the-first-dysfunction/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, as most entrepreneurs do, that a company is only as good as its people. The hard part is actually building the team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/you-know-as-most-entrepreneurs-do-that-a-company-is-only-as-good-as/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) > [When building a team, I always search first for people who love to win. If I can't find any of those, I look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-perot/when-building-a-team-i-always-search-first-for-people-who-love-to-win/) [Ross Perot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-perot/) > [What you have to become is really strong in what you do. That's the point of building a team. You don't know any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-espirito-santo/what-you-have-to-become-is-really-strong-in-what-you-do-that-s-the/) [Nuno Espirito Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-espirito-santo/) > [Growing your own business is great. Watching your ideas come to life, taking care of new customers and watching them become repeat customers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/growing-your-own-business-is-great-watching-your-ideas-come-to-life/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) ## More by Toni Kukoc > [I would watch San Antonio play and see plays I recognized from the Russian team, the Yugoslavian team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-would-watch-san-antonio-play-and-see-plays-i-recognized-from-the/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I feel as long as I'm playing productive minutes, I'll play. But if I'm sitting on the bench and not doing anything, then I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-feel-as-long-as-i-m-playing-productive-minutes-i-ll-play-but-if-i-m/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [It is a much bigger thing to have a world championship with Chicago than this one in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/it-is-a-much-bigger-thing-to-have-a-world-championship-with-chicago/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [It's easy. You just shoot the ball and then hope it's going to go in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/it-s-easy-you-just-shoot-the-ball-and-then-hope-it-s-going-to-go-in/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I always felt like I needed to play basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-always-felt-like-i-needed-to-play-basketball/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [When my game is going well, everything gets much easier, offensively and defensively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/when-my-game-is-going-well-everything-gets-much-easier-offensively/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I've always said that besides the NBA, the Yugoslavian league and a Russian league were the best basketball leagues in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-ve-always-said-that-besides-the-nba-the-yugoslavian-league-and-a/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I've been playing 10 years and I know it's easier starting the game. You have the opportunity to play much more aggressively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-ve-been-playing-10-years-and-i-know-it-s-easier-starting-the-game/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I know that three months before the season is not enough to become a good NBA player, but it's a start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-know-that-three-months-before-the-season-is-not-enough-to-become-a/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [When you reach triple-double, you know you were involved in every part of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/when-you-reach-triple-double-you-know-you-were-involved-in-every-part/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I always thought about the NBA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-always-thought-about-the-nba/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [My generation, with Vlade Divac, Drazen Petrovic, Arvydas Sabonis, that was the first wave of European players that kind of opened the door for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/my-generation-with-vlade-divac-drazen-petrovic-arvydas-sabonis-that/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I worry for the future of the world. For my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-worry-for-the-future-of-the-world-for-my-children/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I think it's very important for every player after a long season, whether it's good or bad, to get total rest. Not just physically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/i-think-it-s-very-important-for-every-player-after-a-long-season/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [One score makes happy ONE player, one assist makes happy TWO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/one-score-makes-happy-one-player-one-assist-makes-happy-two/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) [Explore all 102 Toni Kukoc quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Coming here, I never thought about being like what I was supposed to be in Europe, the No. 1 guy and building the whole team around you. 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