---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Michael will always, to me, be the best…"
description: "\"Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He changed the game. He made it global. Every player today should tip their hat to him.\" — Toni Kukoc"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png"
---

#  Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He…

![“Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He changed the game. He made it global. Every player today should tip their hat to him.” quote by Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png)

> “Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He changed the game. He made it global. Every player today should tip their hat to him.”

[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.

The speaker regards Michael as the greatest player ever, crediting him with transforming the sport into a global phenomenon.

**In simple terms:** Michael is seen as the sport’s all‑time best and a globalizer.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge Michael’s impact on the game.

Themes

sports legacy globalization

Mood

admiring reflective

Type

celebratory analytical

When to use this quote

- coaching
- sports commentary
- fan discussions

Key Concepts

sports history influence role model

Questions to Reflect On

- Who else reshaped the sport?
- What defines “best” in sports?

A Different Perspective

Some may argue other players deserve similar praise.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-player/) [Changed Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-game-945556/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Global Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-player-846385/) [Hat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hat/) [Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michael/) [Player Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player-today-449740/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/)

## Related quotes

> [I think a lot of personnel decisions come down to who's the best player today, like if we had to throw 'em in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-think-a-lot-of-personnel-decisions-come-down-to-who-s-the-best/)

[Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/)

> [InMobi is not just an India-focused company, but it is a global player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/inmobi-is-not-just-an-india-focused-company-but-it-is-a-global-player/)

[Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/)

> [My observation is China is thinking more as a global player than regionally, in both politics and economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/my-observation-is-china-is-thinking-more-as-a-global-player-than/)

[Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/)

> [My job is to prioritize multi-lateralism, and that of course interests Brazil, which is a global player. I'm representing 159 members, and one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-azevedo/my-job-is-to-prioritize-multi-lateralism-and-that-of-course-interests/)

[Roberto Azevedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-azevedo/)

> [Since turning professional at 18, I have travelled the world playing the game that I love and consider myself a global player. As the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/since-turning-professional-at-18-i-have-travelled-the-world-playing/)

[Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/)

> [If your home market is strong, you can be a strong global player because you have scale and can bring down the cost of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-tanti/if-your-home-market-is-strong-you-can-be-a-strong-global-player/)

[Tulsi Tanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-tanti/)

> [Valencia gave me the opportunity to play in Primera Division and gave me the chance to be the player I am today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/valencia-gave-me-the-opportunity-to-play-in-primera-division-and-gave/)

[Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/)

> [I would love to be a player today. I had the right personality for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-jean-king/i-would-love-to-be-a-player-today-i-had-the-right-personality-for-it/)

[Billie Jean King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-jean-king/)

> [I played Futebol de Salão for many years and it helped me to become the player I am today. There you don't have time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinho/i-played-futebol-de-sal-o-for-many-years-and-it-helped-me-to-become/)

[Robinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinho/)

> [It seems the baseball player of today will not be satisfied until he plays two weeks in the big league and is able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/it-seems-the-baseball-player-of-today-will-not-be-satisfied-until-he/)

[Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/)

> [Messi, he's exceptional. When you watch him, you feel there's a child inside him and he is making some childhood dream come true. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/messi-he-s-exceptional-when-you-watch-him-you-feel-there-s-a-child/)

[Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/)

> [Under Wenger I became the player that I am today because he's the guy that signed me at 16. I owe him a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/under-wenger-i-became-the-player-that-i-am-today-because-he-s-the-guy/)

[Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/)

> [I put my work in throughout my career to become the player I am today. It's never about the money. I want to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-put-my-work-in-throughout-my-career-to-become-the-player-i-am-today/)

[Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/)

> [Messi is an irreplaceable player, today if he was here we would have won 5-0 but he was not and we had to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/messi-is-an-irreplaceable-player-today-if-he-was-here-we-would-have/)

[Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/)

> [It's about being a better player today than you were yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/it-s-about-being-a-better-player-today-than-you-were-yesterday/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

## 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 Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [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/)

[Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He changed the game. He made it global. Every player today should tip their hat to him.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Toni Kukoc"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-player-ever-he-changed-the-game/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-player-ever-he-changed-the-game/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/toni-kukoc-5248_best_michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-pl_3097533.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Michael will always, to me, be the best player ever. He changed the game. He made it global. Every player…” — Toni Kukoc",
                "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": "Toni Kukoc",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Michael will always, to me, be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-player-ever-he-changed-the-game/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/michael-will-always-to-me-be-the-best-player-ever-he-changed-the-game/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
