"When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions"
About this Quote
The line is also a quiet critique of highlight culture. “Preparation” isn’t marketable the way a crossover is, and “making good decisions” doesn’t trend like a dagger three, yet Olajuwon frames those as the real currency of winning. The subtext is about ego management: smart basketball often means passing up a shot you can make for a shot your team should take. That’s harder than it sounds when reputations are built on being the guy.
Context matters, too. Olajuwon wasn’t just a phenom; he was a technician. His footwork and post game were famously meticulous, the product of repetition and study, not raw force. Coming from a player who dominated an era of elite centers, this reads like veteran truth-telling: the league will always find athletes. What it can’t mass-produce is readiness under pressure, the calm to see patterns, and the humility to let preparation, not adrenaline, make the decision.
Quote Details
| Topic | Training & Practice |
|---|---|
| Source | Later attribution: The Sport of Sales (Craig J. Lewis, 2012) modern compilationISBN: 9781449747619 · ID: aUxaAAAAQBAJ
Evidence:
... When you get to that level , it's not a matter of talent anymore because all the players are so talented . It's about preparation , about playing smart and making good decisions . " Hakeem Olajuwon Basketball superstar Like an athlete ... |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Olajuwon, Hakeem. (2026, February 14). When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-you-get-to-that-level-its-not-a-matter-of-101427/
Chicago Style
Olajuwon, Hakeem. "When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions." FixQuotes. February 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-you-get-to-that-level-its-not-a-matter-of-101427/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"When you get to that level, it's not a matter of talent anymore - because all the players are so talented - it's about preparation, about playing smart and making good decisions." FixQuotes, 14 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-you-get-to-that-level-its-not-a-matter-of-101427/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
