There are professionals and there are mercenaries in sports.
Meaning
In his 1969 retrospective, Russell separates athletes who care about the craft and their team from those who play only for pay. The line works as a test for any job. Ask whether you are doing the work because you take pride in it, and let that answer shape your effort.
Source: "I'm Not Involved Anymore", Sports Illustrated (1969)
Best Sports Quotes with Meaning
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About the author
Bill Russell (1934–2022) was an American basketball center who won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and became the NBA's first Black head coach. He is also remembered as a civil rights advocate.
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