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

I think it means that you are what truly matters the most of anything else. Your personality matters the most. You need to think about your self before you do anything and choose anything even your job or car or money. Being your self is more important then being a basketball player. Like being you are as a person is more important then being a point guard in basketball. For example me being me is more important then anything else in the world.