9781422278697

Celtics legend Bill Russell looks up at a shot going through the hoop

“One thing consistently I have always done, starting in high school, is I take a nap before the game. We had shootaround in high school, and I’d go back home and take an hour or two nap before the game. Now it’s like three or four hours and just relax and have the energy for the night.”

— LeBron James, Four-time NBA MVP

Eating the right thing at the right time is crucial, but it would be a missed opportunity to fuel a body that is not well rested. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential to preparing the body to perform at an optimal level on game day. This certainly applies to sleeping well the night before a game day, but given the fact that most basketball games are played in the evenings, many players also work in a game day nap as well.

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