"what you are as a person is far more important than whta you are as a basketball player." John Wooden
to me this means that you can be one of the most highest achievers in life but in reality your world can be falling apart. In other words if you a person who is doing good and you have achieve many things is that more important than your behavior and what your like. what are you doing to become a better person. there isn't balance in just succeeding in life and not on the type of person you are.  you have to succeed in life.and if you are your only doing half because what have you done to become better. so what i think john wooden is trying to say is that people are to focus on succeeding and having the best things they can. In reality they forget to be nice and a better person. so it's good to succeed. But while your at it, we have to succeed or work on our behavior or personality.
example: i am trying to become a better person so i help when i can and i think that it's as important as succeeding.