The return of the NBA is just around the corner and dozens of players have traveled far and wide to reach their teams in preparation for the Orlando games this summer. One question that has been on everyone’s mind is just what level of conditioning we can reasonably expect from players after an absence of more than four months.
The answer is that it will likely be a mixed bag, even for those who have been diligent about their diet and training programs. The diaspora that occurred in the wake of the pandemic meant that some players were in situations where they did not necessarily enjoy the same access to the type of state-of-the-art sports equipment they are normally used to.
Take Steven Adams, for example, who left Oklahoma City shortly after the break and returned to his New Zealand farm so he could be close to the family. In a recent Zoom call with Thunder Beat reporters, Adams talked about how he spent his spare time during the arrest, joking that he turned to his farm animals to imitate the post’s conditions.
Via Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman:
While at home, Adams took a break from Western Conference center wrestling and joked that he remained in the form of basketball “boxing cows” on his farm.
Adams and the rest of his Thunder teammates are participating in mandatory individual trainings at the team’s training facility before flying to Disney World next week for the training camp. The Thunder (40-24) will resume the season on August 1st against Utah Jazz.
The Thunder, with Chris Paul at the helm, had been one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises before the season ended. They head to Orlando after hitting a playoff point as they sit at number 5 on the Western Conference chart.
(The Oklahoman)
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