You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when you’re outscored.

John Wooden used this idea repeatedly in talks and interviews to distinguish “winning” (a byproduct) from “success” (a standard of conduct). In the context of his UCLA coaching philosophy—especially his emphasis on preparation, teamwork, and character—Wooden argued that the scoreboard can misrepresent the quality of performance. A team might outscore an opponent yet have played selfishly, carelessly, or below its capabilities; conversely, a team might be outscored but still have executed well, improved, and met its own standards against a stronger opponent. The remark reflects Wooden’s broader effort to teach athletes to judge themselves by controllable factors rather than outcomes alone.

Wooden distinguishes the scoreboard from the deeper standards by which a contest—and a person—should be judged. A team may “outscore” an opponent yet still have “lost” in Wooden’s sense if it played selfishly, cut corners, ignored preparation, or failed to meet its own capabilities. Conversely, being outscored can still count as a “win” if one performs with discipline, integrity, and maximum effort against strong opposition. The remark reflects Wooden’s broader philosophy that success is self-referential—measured by character and the quality of one’s performance—rather than by external outcomes alone.

1) “You can lose when you outscore somebody, and you can win when you’re outscored.”
2) “You can lose even if you outscore someone, and you can win even if you’re outscored.”