Monday, October 22nd, 2012 at 1:34 pm  |  28 responses

The 15 Best NBA Quotes of All-Time

Compiled by Brian McIntyre, the League’s senior communications advisor.

Love lists or hate lists, there’s no denying that nothing gets people riled up quite like a good set of rankings. If you’re interested in reading a bunch of ‘em, all assembled by people you’ve probably heard of—NBA players, coaches, media members, etc.—you should pick up NBA List Jam!: The Most Authoritative and Opinionated Rankings, which is on sale now. And you can roll through the gallery below to read our favorite list from the book: a compilation of the best NBA-related quotes of all-time, put together by a man who’s uniquely qualified to do so, NBA senior communications advisor Brian McIntyre. Enjoy!—Ed.

Brian McIntyre is the senior communications advisor to David Stern for the NBA. He has been an executive with the League for more than three decades, and served a three-year term as director of public relations for the Chicago Bulls. Brian has heard a lot of great quotes from players, coaches, fans, family members, and the media during his years in the NBA. Here are his favorites.

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  • JML-G

    Practice?

  • http://twitter.com/ronflatter Ron Flatter

    How’d you miss “the opera ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings” from either Dick Motta or Dan Cook? Or “Larry Bird is not walking through that door” from Rick Pitino?

  • http://slamonline.com/ Ben Osborne

    B-Mack is my man.

  • Perry the PlatyPteranodon

    I’m tired of hearing about practice, practice, practice. I just want to play the game, drink pepsi and wear reebok.

  • biggieman

    AI only came in at #12… That should be top 5 at least!

  • Kevin Wilson

    The 12th is an ABA quote. We should get another.

  • RedDragon10

    Needed Riley’s “and next year, we’re gonna do it again”

  • Mr. Wet

    “Both teams played hard” my personal favorite.

  • Anonymous

    If Shaq was able to visit the Pantheon in Greece, then he would have been the first. Last time I checked, the Pantheon was in Rome. Parthenon mane.

  • nhm

    shaq’s 2, charles’ fact, ai’s practice, rudy’s champion and that time machine quote takes the top 5

  • Anonymous

    How bout AI comin off the bench?

  • Caboose

    “We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees.” -Jason Kidd. Doing that Berkeley education proud.

  • http://www.facebook.com/qcollingwood Interdico Scriptor

    SHAQ IS DEF LOQUACIOUS

  • http://www.facebook.com/qcollingwood Interdico Scriptor

    Ahahahahaha… these are brilliant… Remember Reagan shooting free throws (gulp… how old am I????)

  • KBM

    That pic of ‘Toine is dang depressing.

  • jonny b

    What about the one from a few years back. A first year player was put on the disabled list due to a toe infection he developed as the result of a botched pedicure. His coach said, “they don’t make rookies like they used to”.

  • Drig

    lol…….

  • http://www.facebook.com/HolyBaller Dillan Leu

    Georgi Blouchkov, playing during the 1985-96 season? That’s a LONG season lol.

  • omphalos

    Man, that 85-96 season must have been pretty long. I wish we’d had some of the more positive quotes in there too, not just predominantly negative ones.

  • swish

    I can’t believe there wasn’t one from Coach Pop??? He has hundreds of classics…

  • Ugh

    “Give the ball to Michael, everybody get the f**k out of the way.” – Doug Collins.

  • spit hot fiyah

    that antoine walker one is so classic. also, ball don’t lie doesn’t qualify as a quote?

  • Flighty

    More than one pantheon around the world son.

  • tomtom

    I can’t remember who said it. And it was a while back..but a reporter asked if a guy was shocked at a shot he made with his off-hand and he replied ” No. I can make shots with either hand, i’m amphibious”.

  • neaorin

    Ron Artest witnessing someone get stabbed in the heart with a table leg while playing ball shoulda been in there somewhere.

  • Yougots2know

    There maybe but the famous building are the Pantheon in Rome or the Parthenon in Greece.

  • Yougots2know

    thanks for that – I just fell off my share

  • RB Love

    What about Patrick Ewing during the ’99 lock-out – “Sure, we make a lot of money, but we spend a lot, too.”

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