" What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player." 

John Wooden

 What i think this quote means is that being a basketball player just like he was back then didn't mean that was all he was. Being you and letting people know who you are is far more important than what they only know you for. I think while you're our there playing you become a different person. But the person who is outside of a game and not playing is more important. You may not be the same person you are when you're out there trying to defeat your enemies. The person you should really focus on is the person you are when you're outside of the game. Him being a basketball player wasn't all there was to him.