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

~~~~~ John Wooden~~~~~

What this quote means is that what you are as yourself is much more better than being anything else that you aren't. Also that like being yourself around other people is a good thing.  it is also saying that no matter how good your are in other stuff what matters more is your personality and who you are. For example if you are good at learning or playing a sport and you have a bad personality then that means you are a bad mean person because what matters is your personality.