What Do NBA Players Do During the Offseason?

Fans enjoy watching the NBA players for over seven months, from the regular season games through the finals. Then comes the offseason, where their heroes must take a break. What do NBA players do during the offseason?

Some players would take time to do DIY things in their homes, others would go on a vacation, and others eat until they were out of shape, like Zion Williamson, who was over 300 pounds. The Pelicans franchise was concerned and put a clause on Williamson’s contract stating that he should weigh below 295 pounds; otherwise, the guaranteed money decreases.

Peek at the activities NBA players take during the end of the season,

How Long is the NBA Offseason?

The offseason is a welcome respite for NBA athletes giving them time to rest their minds and bodies. It will allow players and coaches to reflect on the past season and learn from the experiences to improve. Players can adequately address the pains nagging them during the season.

COVID-19 displayed its ugly head and brought businesses down to their knees, including the NBA. In response, the league initiated the bubble games to complete the 2019-20 season. The final eight regular games in 2019 were played in the bubble, and all games throughout 2020 were behind closed doors.

The games were suspended on March 11, 2020, due to the pandemic. The playoffs started on August 17, and the finals ended on October 11, with the Lakers beating the Miami Heat 4-2.

The league announced that the 2020-21 season would start on December 22. The difference between the end of finals and the start of the season is 71 off-season days which is way below the average of 156 and by far the lowest off-season in NBA history.

Commissioner Adam Silver et al. knew what was best for the league when they jump-started in December. Naysayers worried about players’ health and batted for a long offseason. However, the wrinkles were threshed with the proper remedies when the NBA sailed into unchartered waters.

• Back-to-back games and road trips were limited.
• The regular season games were shortened to 72 from 82.
• The load management rules were relaxed.
• COVID-19 health protocols were maintained.
• Team facilities were opened on October 30, allowing players to work out before training camp starts on December 1.

COVID-19 was still lurking, limiting gate receipts. This showed in the dip of revenues in season 2020-21 ($6.41 billion) compared to 2019-20 ($7.92 billion).

9 Things NBA Players Do During the Offseason

The 30 NBA teams play 82 games each, the regular season lasts for six months, starting on the fourth week of October through April next year, and playoff teams play more games. Half of the games are played on the home court, and the 41 are road games. There’s no rest for these guys; they play on Christmas Day.

However, there is an offseason in NBA where players can take things easy and enjoy what life has to offer away from basketball. The offseason helps them recharge and be in excellent basketball shape for the coming season. Let us look at how they spend their time.

1. Vacation

After the season ends, NBA players relax and enjoy local or international locations. Road games don’t give players enough time to enjoy the amenities of the city they visit. All they see are the hotels, airports, and stadiums.

A trip to nature without phones or electric gadgets helps athletes unwind away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Draymond Green spent the time of his life partying on the mysterious Greek island, checking out the food, drinks, and nightlife.

2. Rest 

There’s a lot of physicality going on in NBA games. Players collide, and the physical qualities of a player are tested to the hilt. Constant motion puts a lot of stress on the body. Rest will give an athlete time to restore their fatigued muscle and recover from the pain or injury suffered during the season.

Athletes can reflect on their performance while resting and think of ways to improve their game.

3. Bonding

NBA players are too busy with their schedule during the season; their time is spent playing, traveling, eating, and sleeping. Catching up with friends and family during the break renews relationships. 

It’s nice to talk about things not related to basketball, and it disconnects basketeers from their job.

LeBron James finds time to bring his family to the movies to have fun.

4. Charitable Work

Many NBA players work with charitable organizations as a means of sharing their positions in life. These athletes rarely pass an opportunity to shell out some monies for a worthy cause.

5. Business Projects

NBA players think about their life after basketball. When Father Time catches them, they want to be prepared by providing financial security for their family. Most players invest in business projects for when they retire; they can look forward to other sources of income. Instead of wasting their spare time, they use this productively.

The offseason is an opportunity for NBA players with a signature shoe line to work with sponsors to develop and market the product. Better sales mean more bucks.

6. Play Games

Many basketball players like participating in video, online, and board games while resting. It’s much the same as basketball, where you must beat the other team. These contests will keep their wits sharp and adrenalin flowing without stepping out of the house.

Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis like everything about basketball, including video games such as NBA2K and NBA Live, where they spend hours in hoop simulation.

7. Live Shows

Attending a live concert, comedy act, or magic show is better than watching it on TV. Laughter is a strong medicine for stress, and it keeps people together. It is accessible, entertaining, and an effortless act. 

Shaquille O’Neil enjoys laughing to cool off, and he’s a regular at Kevin Hart’s comedy that tickles his funny bone.

8. Massage Therapy

Massage can work wonders for an athlete’s body and help players recover from injuries. A masseuse will ease the tension in stressed muscles and increase blood flow.

9. Hold Training Camps

Elite NBA players hold training camps for young basketeers. They give tips and advice to be better players.

How Some Popular NBA Players Spend their Offseason

Great players do things differently from others during the offseason; let us look at some of them.

Steph Curry

The Baby-Faced Assassin is a guarded player because of his deadly shooting and daredevil drives to the basket. The offseason will give his battered and bruised body time to recuperate. But Curry doesn’t spend the break relaxing; instead, he works to improve his almost perfect game.

Curry will take about three weeks of R & R, and a week of playing golf concludes his end vacation. Then his personal trainer, Brandon Payne, will set camp for the ramping-up period. The first two weeks will be four days, gradually moving to a 6-day training week.

Steph loves Zumba dancing which is also a form of exercise.

LeBron James

The Lakers were not on the list of playoffs or play-in teams in NBA season 2021-22. Ordinary players would love the early exit, but King James is a marquee player. It’s hard for someone involved in many playoffs not to be a part of it.

For LeBron, age is just a number; he hasn’t slowed down and shows the young guns how to play basketball. The key to his longevity is his discipline in training during the off- and in-season and his diet.

A typical King James offseason is a five-training days per week which ramps up to six days during in season. There are exercise routines for almost all parts of his body, from the legs to the chest.

And there’s the LeBron $1.5 million per year diet. It’s strictly fish, meat, veggies, and fruits for 57 days. Before a game, the menu consists of chicken breast, pasta, salad, protein shake, and fruits. The carbs make up for the calories burned during a game.

On the lighter side, King James likes playing Madden NFL 23 in the remaining days of the offseason.

Wrapping Things Up: What Do NBA Players Do During the Offseason

After a stressful season, players are looking forward to the offseason in NBA for some R & R.  After the fun time, the players go on training and know that they are getting paid big bucks for their performance on the court.

Basketball great Kyrie Irving does fast dribbling drills while basketballs are thrown at him. Chicago Bulls Zach Lavine improves his vertical by leaping head and shoulders above the ring.

The season’s end gives players time to relax and be with their families, but it is also a time to train and maintain themselves to be good at their game.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.