Should NBA Players Ever Be Out of Shape?
Now that the Golden State Warriors‘ starting PG role has basically been handed to Marcus Williams, concerns are arising over whether or not Marcus can step up and take command of the opportunity.
And with good reason. The last time he was delivered a gift - last season when Jason Kidd was traded - he didn’t even come close to making the most of the opportunity. Devin Harris came right in and just took the job from Williams.
And now here we are with gift No. 2, and with a few weeks still until training camp starts, an old ghost has popped up, threatening to jeopardize Williams’ new good fortune: Can Marcus Williams get in NBA shape?
It’s kind of crazy that we have to talk about this all the time, not just with Marcus Williams, but with NBA players in general. Guys always talk about getting into “game shape,” and it’s almost as they are working their back from an injury. Marcus, though, is one of those guys who has the question come up all the time, whether he is injured or not (and in fairness, he has been, multiple times). The fact of the matter is, Williams’ weight might fluctuate more than any player we’ve ever seen. He’s been a regular in the NYC-area at various leagues and events since he was drafted by the Nets and you can almost always tell whether or not he’s been getting after it in the gym.
The San Francisco Examiner has a Q&A with Marcus that hits on the conditioning issue:
MS: “What’s your thought process now that Monta Ellis is going to miss significant playing time and you very well could wind up the starter?”
MW: “The first thing is to get in shape - 40 minutes-a-game shape. That’s what I’ve been doing. I’m trying to get into game shape. Then the basketball will come naturally. When you’re tired, that’s when you make mistakes. I want to go longer stretches without being tired.”
MS: “You’ve been criticized during your NBA career for a lack of conditioning, for not being in shape. Has that been fair?”
MW: “Yes. Yeah, it is. It’s hard (to stay in shape) if you’re not getting a chance to play. Then you get minutes and it’s tough to be productive. I know that’s a selfish way to put it, though. But yes, that’s what I’ve been working on most: Getting into game shape.”
Is there ever an excuse for a non-injured NBA player to fall out of shape, even when he’s not seeing a ton of tick? True, you might not be running for 40 minutes a night, and there is definitely no workout that can truly replicate the rigors of NBA game action, but there are still plenty of practices, shootarounds, and lots of downtime to get you as ready as possible for when your name is called.
Source: SF Examiner
September 9th, 2008 at 11:14 am
justice says:
im sure it’s not easy,hell it’s not easy for me to get in shape for my rec league coming up, but im doing it, and im not even getting paid hundreds of dollars..So it’s really no excuse if ur making millions, i would live on the treadmill and in between the lines of suicides, ur rich dude hire a trainer and a chef for god sakes
September 9th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Izzy says:
Uhm the funny part of this whole situation is that it kind of relates to just about every slack ass (myself on occasion) at any workplace. Its an NBA players JOB! Part of the job requirements to stay in shape, cause ur paycheck is coming from being able to be physically active.
Its like any employee giving out a bunch of excuses why he couldnt perform his job duties on any given day.
Very sad. And not for nothing, if you are having practices, workouts and shootarounds, you dont really have an excuse for not being in game shape. Games last 40 minutes, and top athletes play 36-38 MPG, so that half an hour is the defining moment of getting in shape? I think not!
September 9th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Izzy says:
oops… 40 minutes in college, 48 in the pros i suppose…. i am a dumbass!
September 9th, 2008 at 11:24 am
it aint easy being green says:
ok, so the league min. for a player with no years in the nba is $442,114. i, on the other hand make $32,000 at my job. better yet, my father makes about $85,000. - GET IN THE FUCKIN GYM KID!!!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Scott says:
If people that have 9-5 jobs or even crazier hours can find the time to hit the gym and stay in shape, guys who have THAT much downtime should be able to EASILY stay in shape. I mean you figure, if they’re not on their downtime they’re at practice, at a game or travelling, so 2 out of those 3 are workouts, 1 out of 3 if the dude ain’t seein any pt, but still, how would a bench player expect to make the jump to showing he can handle bigger minutes if he’s not working his ass off to be in shape when he gets the call.
It baffles me when I hear that these guys aren’t in shape. Especially young guys who have the talent. How hard is it to know the formula, you get in the league, bust your ass to get in amazing shape, play like you’re in shape when you’re on the court, utilize your talent that should be increased due to your new found physical shape, blow away the coach, play great, become a starter, make more millions.
If only it was that easy, lol. But still, getting in AI type of shape would help any young player, at the least to stay in the league a long time.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Sam I Am says:
In the end clearly ! …
You handing me millions and not using me, that’s not my fault,
BUT I do have to be in a position to be ready, so in the end, yes I need to be NBA game day shape up ready conditioning status level.
lol
September 9th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Tyrone says:
A true thug never lies down and is always workin’ it y’all. You gotsa to be able to run 4 miles in 30 mins, that’s how real ballerz roll y’all. Ain’t no reason for a baller like Williams to be outta shape, it’s the NBA y’all, get in shape or getsa the hellz out.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Nick says:
How many people would take MW’s job in a second? Can I get a show of hands? It doesn’t matter whether he plays in games or not. I place some of this blame on the coach and trainer for not working MW hard enough during practice. I’ve never been on a winning team where the coach didn’t keep his players in fantastic condition. From a GM’s perspective, you are investing a huge amount of money and time into this player, so how can you not have an incentive to keep him in shape? It would be great if the NBA put in “Shawn Kemp Clause” into players contracts! “Your outrageous pay is contingent on your ability to maintain your game shape. Any failure on your part, such as eating a donut diet and playing too much Madden football, will result in a substantial monetary deductions.”
September 9th, 2008 at 11:48 am
D.H. says:
you know some people just have a hard time keeping the pounds off. I can eat whatever I want, party and still gain no wait and out run every guy at my court. Other guys are always jumping rope, watching their diet and they still put on some extra punds here and there. Genetics plays some part in the people. Altough I digress that with all that free time hitting the gym 4 or 5 times week cant bee that hard.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:48 am
David Brandon says:
man, it can be tough stayin in hoop shape. i know there’s been times i didn’t play for about 2 weeks and i’m roughin it. i hate that mess. that’s a big reason why i always try to play…to avoid that “coming back…transition” period. i just like always bein’ ready to go, so i get it in as much as possible. i would think it’d be easier bein’ a player in the L tho. i mean, your JOB is to literally always be ready to go. i can see how not getting any tick can limit somebody’s motivation, but i guess that’s when you have to dig deeper. ??? i’ve been on some ish teams before and when the coach was playing favorites to his son or his son’s friend, whatever, and i’m thinkin’…”man, if i could get off this damn bench, it’d be a wrap.” but i would just go hit the courts harder right after the game got over, so…but maybe everyone doesn’t do that? i know eddy curry doesn’t. he probably takes a nap after every rebound he doesn’t get.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am
jimmhumm says:
hecks yeah. Don’t nobody wanna hear that mess. Wagner, Jay-Will, even Earl Boykins would have loved to be a starting NBA pg. This dude gets lucky enough to do it an dis complaining about getting fit. What is wrong with this dude?
September 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am
RENO says:
There’s absolutely no reason for any pro athlete, outside of an injury, to be outta shape. Especially in the NBA. You don’t hear lawyers after a court case like… Damn, i should hit them books a lil harder… Sorry man i’ll be in game shape by next case. See you in 5 to 10. And that excuse of not getting playing time is just that… AN EXCUSE.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:59 am
SparkyJay23 says:
How the hell are you not fit for basketball? They are paying you dumbass - stop smoking and loafing and get in the fucking gym
September 9th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Big North says:
I’m sure he was runnin’ just fine when Jhonny Law was on his ass from snatching them computers.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
smity far away says:
There’s no reasonable defense for Marcus outside of citing his injury troubles. But if he’s not in shape, if any nba player earning that type of money is not in shape or isnt able to be in shape by the time the season starts, and they’re injury free, its because they are lazy and ungrateful. of maybe ignorant of the position (of envy) they’re in and of the hard work it took to get them there initially. If it wasn’t hard to stay in shape when you were trying to impress so that you could get some shine (on whatever level) it shouldnt be hard to stay in shape as you’re still trying to impress to get more shine. So either they’re lazy, ignorant or unconcerned/doing what they wanna do-and can’t nobody hate them for that (or if you can, you must be a pro at it (hating, that is…)
September 9th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
smity far away says:
*or ignorant*
September 9th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
A-Slam says:
how does donyell marshall stay in the league that guy looks like his pre-game meal is a big-mac and supersized fries and coke
September 9th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Kudabeen says:
Outside of injury or some sort of extreme family issues there is no excuse for any PROFESSIONAL athlete to be out of shape. You are paid to handle that. I look at the gross looking Pros with guts, double chins, and straight pudge…What always comes to mind is “they aren’t putting in the work like they should”…Excess fat equal unnecessary injuries and prolonged recover from things that nag everyone like knee soreness, ankle and joint issues…
It does take dedication and commitment, but it can be done. The guys like Karl Malone, Kevin Willis, Alonzo Morning, LeBron, Iguodala, KG, Dwight, Duncan, Lindsey Hunter,Rip, Ray, Marion, AI, Ben Gordon, and a whole list of others stay in shape regardless of playing or not. That is professional part of it. That is what a guy like Marcus and many others suffer from. They are just good ball players that made it successfully through the system. Marcus is one bad season away from being Omar Cook’d Khalid El-Amin’d…
The difference between good ballers in the L and the ones out of the L is perception which leads to opportunity. If you aren’t willing to stay in top condition regardless and your character is in question what is your BBall life about? “I’m going to get in 40 min a night type shape” Huh! That statement is inherently lazy.
Whatever. His contract is guaranteed and he has some pedigree. Meanwhile cats like CJ Watson have to scrape and scrap behind him for reasons that have nothing to do with winning…
September 9th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
shake&bake says:
I always put on weight right after the season in college just cause I wouldn’t workout too much so my body could heal up. However, that would be for a month at most, I wouldn’t wait til the last minute to get back in shape like it seems Williams is doing.
So should an NBA player be out of shape? - Yeah, if you want to play center for the Knicks.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
karizmatic says:
There is not an excuse for an NBA athlete to be out of shape. What do they do? Party for the entire summer and eat, they never hit the weight room or the court? That’s ridiculous. But like has already been said, it’s a job like any other job, if you don’t respect yourself and your profession enough to be ready to go, then you won’t. One simple motto comes to mind. You don’t sit the bench if you ain’t ready to play. Apparently Marcus Williams didn’t get that memo.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Ashlov says:
If the NBA were like the NFL, all of these lazy cats would be out of gas, and out of money. I’d love it if teams could cut players on the fly, but these jerks get guaranteed cash, and can slack off if they feel like it.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
hahns says:
w/ all this talk about all access interviews and such, i liek the honest from marcus. hes owning up to his fault and not making excuses. good for him. everyone bustin on him for not conditioning enough…and saying that you yourselves are in good shape- i bet marcus could out run all you. nba game shape is much different from everday shape.
and how many of you dont do things that you should, whether its eating your veggies, sleeping early, not boozing, anything…so get off his ass. and you can make the argument that he is getting paid for this, but how many times do you do you guys not do stuff at wrk that you should? ease up
September 9th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
GEE...new finishing move...the slap you silly says:
Yea for real it’s just no reason for Antoine Walkering it. That is corny when you got the means, time and access to get right and stay right.
Even if they playing you out by keeping you on the bench, for the money you making you should be fit.
For real it’s ya work ethic too, cause if you simply want to be the best you, then you automatically trying to stay in shape.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
kevin k says:
it baffles me when i hear guys are out of shape when they are making min of 6 figures to play with a ball… BUT for people that have played in a competitive basketball, 2 hours a day of training will not get you in a game shape. yea you might have 2-3 hours of practice and 1-2 hour of lifting or so, but you prob need to add another 2-3 hours i believe to maintain 48 min nba setting shape which is about 7 hours plus the dieting and injury that is involved… but still im pretty sure any avg american working a 9-5 job will rather spend 8 hours in a gym lifting or shooting a ball then their reg work so…
September 9th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Big Freeze says:
Shaq is a fat fuck lately. If he dropped 30-40 lbs, he could reinvent himself, or at least be able to dunk again.
September 9th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Stepper says:
@ kevin k
2 - 3 hrs practice and 2 hrs lifting, they need 7 hrs a day. Man you crazy. How can a human body take 7 hrs. They practice less and lift a lot, than you imagine.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Brandon Hoffman says:
No, I don’t think there is ever a time where NBA players should be excused for being out of shape. There season may be eight months long, but they should be responsible for maintaining their fitness in the off-season. After all, they’re under contract.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Big Mike *H-Town Baby* says:
yeah, i agree with the above. that’s really sad to not have the personal integrity to stay in shape when it’s your job. oh well good player not a great player anyway.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
QueSt??? says:
as soon as i have a son and he comes out of his mother’s vagina imma give him a big ass basketball, im gonna raise the next kobe bitches, and imma b a millionaire
September 10th, 2008 at 1:02 am
solomon says:
LOL @ QueST
well, ur paid to be an athlete, be an athlete…
September 10th, 2008 at 6:15 am
E-man says:
I doubt that the actual reason for his slacking off is actually down to conditioning. From the sounds of it, it’s more of a mental block or in other words, he’s probably lacking in confidence. I have seen players over the years that were not in the best shape, but dominated by mental toughness and knowing what they are and are not capable. If he were to get more minutes and contribute more, I don’t think that he would be worried about “making mistakes” and the conditioning would also come naturally, because he would actually be looking forward to seeing more pt…
September 10th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Drill Phil says:
WOW…Look I agree with almost everyone.. their is NO excused for being out of shape!! when a young man is getting paid lots of money just for playing basket ball..I am a NYC bus driver working 9 to 5…I have to work overtime just to have enough doe to pay my bills.. you have gifted youg men who dont take full avantage of their current job state that is sad……….
September 10th, 2008 at 11:36 am
6floorsfinest says:
Money, might have got caught up in the moment. The transition from college to the league hits everyone a little differently nowhatimsayin. He probably didn’t expect to get any burn so he didn’t prepare with the right mindset. He should have just got up with Artest this summer and followed him to every tournament in the NYC. Somebody just needs to tell him “You either take what’s there for you or go Euro.”
September 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
eyeused2b says:
The guys that aren’t getting any PT should be in the best shape. They should have an entirely different mentality. They know that they are going to be on the bench until someone is injured or until garbage time, so they should be ready at all times, so they can make the most out of whatever opportunity they get.