| For all the doubt and discussion about what sports will be like when we return from being stuck on the pause button, we can be certain that the NBA is going to look a little different. And, if you’re looking at Nikola Jokic’s stomach, a lot different. We don’t do too many columns here that are focused directly on athlete’s midriffs; that would be weird and creepy, and we’re certainly not into the whole body-shaming thing. Yet the transformation Jokic has put himself through during testing times is nothing short of remarkable and speaks volumes to his work ethic. Before the lockdown shuttered basketball, Jokic was a guy with a slightly fleshy frame, an intense approach and passing so silky that it turned him into an All-Star. Now, he’s chiseled and lean and appears raring to go. “He sent me a picture,” Denver Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly told ESPN. “No shirt on. He’s got abs. I’ve never seen him have abs before.” |
Woody Paige, the veteran scribe for the Colorado Springs Gazette, could not resist the opportunity to become the pound-for-pound wordplay champion of the day. “The Joker is no longer a joke,” Paige wrote. “What’s the skinny on (Jokic), The Svelte Serb? Un-fat-homable. The weight is over.” Beyond the pun and games, if we ever need further proof that elite athletes are wired a little differently to the rest of us, the lockdown has provided it. As so many of us have suffered from the pounds piling on – the Quarantine 15 – NBA stars and other sportsmen and women have taken the chance to hone themselves into even better shape. Or, in some cases, to provide a complete overhaul of their physique that they never had the time or ability to do under normal circumstances. In the NBA, it has mostly involved guys getting trim, which is why you can see Marc Gasol looking skinnier than a pair of millennial jeans and James Harden walking around with a physique that belongs on the cover of a health magazine. It’s not easy to run a 10k on a treadmill when you’ve got games every couple of days. For Harden it was the time afforded by quarantine, plus an extensive home gym, that made it possible. |
However, while the Houston Rockets fan base were resounding in their approval, FOX Sports’ Shannon Sharpe sounded a note of caution. “He had some time on his hands and he said, ‘I’m too heavy’, so we’ll see how it works out,” Sharpe said on Undisputed. “But for me there was nothing wrong with James Harden. If you were averaging 36 at that weight, why mess with it?” Without much else to do, pro basketball stars have made staying in shape a competitive outlet. The Utah Jazz have hosted Zoom cooking sessions together, focused on uber-healthy yet delicious treats. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have shared eye-popping regimes that defy normal logic. For those of us feeling guilty about not doing more to avoid the waistline expanding, it almost came as a relief to hear last week that Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks was “out of shape,” according to his trainer. But even that was shortlived. It turned out that the quote came as a result of a mistranslated interview the trainer conducted with a Russian outlet. In fact, Doncic has been putting in extra specialized work and has never been quicker. |
It is not just hoops. In German soccer, Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka beefed up during the quiet months with a series of rigorous workouts that have now positioned him as one of the most ripped players in the Bundesliga. Goretzka scored the winner for Bayern against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend, then was hailed by teammates and opponents alike for his indefatigable workrate. “It is always nice to get compliments,” Goretzka said. I imagine it must be, Leon. In golf, the sport’s mad scientist, Bryson DeChambeau, used quarantine to tinker not with his equipment, but his own body. DeChambeau has gotten so strong that his booming drives at Colonial caused former star Colin Montgomerie to consider the need for a rule change. “To see him carrying 330 yards in the air, this is getting unreal,” Montgomerie told the BBC, suggesting the use of shorter-distance balls, as DeChambeau revealed he had packed on 20 pounds of pure muscle in recent months. “Something has to be done or these classic courses cannot be used.” In the National Football League, there is still plenty of time for players to get themselves ready for the rigors of the season, but many still took the opportunity to make changes. Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins shed weight; new Tampa Bay Buccaneer Rob Gronkowski deliberately put some on. Tom Brady, presumably, ate as healthily as ever and remained timeless. Given that I write about sports, I thought I could use an athletic mentality to positive effect a couple of months back. When the first talk of quarantine weight gain across society kicked in, I figured there would be several athletes who went the other way and used the time for their benefit. |
I committed to do the same. I’ve tried to stay in shape, but several forces have been conspiring against me. A local newspaper reported that my favorite donut shop was in danger of going out of business and it seemed like the decent thing to do to increase my intake. An Achilles problem stopped me from running with any great frequency. And when things get stressful due to uncertainty and new normals, yeah, my willpower gives way in the face of any nearby deliciousness. Which is part of why top athletes are top athletes, and why I’m sidestepping the scales, fearful of what they will tell me. All of which isn’t necessarily a surprise and is only relevant in terms of where we started, which was about what sports might look like when they come back. Basically, it boils down to this. Don’t be surprised if we see a tiny bit of rustiness when the NBA hits the hardwood again, but also don’t be shocked if you spot even more players who come back stronger, healthier and more determined than ever. |
Here’s what others have said… Ryan Blackburn, Denver Stiffs: “Last year, Jokic averaged over 25 points and 8 assists per game in the playoffs while playing around 275 pounds. So much of Jokic’s work was done by bullying his way to the basket, outmuscling the opposition to get easy buckets under the rim. Unfortunately, that isn’t a sustainable method for most players, and it neglects some of the best pieces of Jokic’s offensive game. In addition, Jokic facing up more frequently rather than going into the post will have him always seeing the floor for cutters and open passing lanes. He rarely misses a pass, but he may never miss a cutter again if he plays more face-up basketball. I’m looking forward to seeing what this version of Nikola Jokic can do on the big stage. He shot nearly 40% from three-point range last playoffs, and if he can replicate that, it makes him even more dangerous than he already is.” Austin Rivers, Houston Rockets guard: “I gotta see if that picture (of Harden) is real, ‘cause he looks — I don’t know what he’s been doing during quarantine. He looks good though. Y’all can call it what you want, but ‘beefy’ Harden was averaging 36, so I don’t even know what skinny Harden is gonna do. He definitely lost a cool 20 pounds.” Will Gray, Yahoo Sports: “There were plenty of chuckles early in the week as cameras got their first glimpse of a post-quarantine DeChambeau, But no one was laughing once DeChambeau put his 5.5-degree driver into play at Colonial, launching missiles off the tee and taking angles never before seen on one of the Tour’s most historic layouts. DeChambeau has always done things his way, from single-length irons to a brief flirtation with side-saddled putting, and a detailed and philosophical approach to the swing. His latest project, to pack on pounds in order to increase ball and swing speed, certainly defied convention. But, it’s also kind of working.” |
