James Harden explains how he's stayed in shape while the NBA season is suspended
- Many NBA players were left to their own devices to work out and stay in shape while the season has been suspended for the coronavirus pandemic.
- James Harden told Insider his setup is "very well put-together," including a treadmill, weights, jump ropes, and a large backyard for sprints.
- Harden said he has treated the suspension like the regular season, saying he has continued to eat clean, get his workouts in, and get the necessary recovery through stretching and massages.
If and when the 2019-20 NBA season starts back up, James Harden may have a head-start on the competition.
The NBA season has been suspended since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. With NBA teams' practice facilities closing shortly after — and only recently re-opening in some states — many players were left to their own devices. While teams sent some equipment, players without ample space, indoors or outdoors, could only do so much.
Harden, however, has a set-up he described to Insider as "very, very well put-together."
"I have a treadmill," Harden said. "I have jump ropes, I have weights, I have a pretty nice-sized backyard where I do a lot of sprints and things like that."
However, Harden noted that there is a difference between workouts at his house and gearing up for NBA basketball.
"Individually working out and then playing actual five-on-five, where there's contact and there's a split decisions that have to be made, it's totally different ... The main part for me is just being in shape. Making sure my conditioning is up to where it'll make the five-on-five easier."
Harden said conditioning has been his main focus since the league was suspended.
"I'm trying my best," he said.
If the NBA does resume the season, players will be called back to their markets to begin a mini-training camp (which will likely come after a 14-day quarantine). An oft-discussed aspect of the return is how much time players will need to get back into shape. Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudely said, ideally, players would get 5-6 weeks to get back into true basketball shape. At the moment, reports suggest teams will have three-week training camps before departing to a centralized site to play games.
Harden said it's the job of NBA players to be ready to play whenever they get the call.
"We're professionals. That's what you get paid the highest money for," Harden said.
He added of the potential timeline to be ready to play: "Hopefully if everybody is doing what they're supposed to be doing, a few weeks. Like I said, training individually and basketball, five-on-five, are two different types of training. So, hopefully, it won't be that long. A few weeks and then we can have things up and get it going."
Harden, who spoke to Insider while promoting his partnership with the sports drink BodyArmor and his role in their newest ad, said he has been strict in recent months, eating a clean diet and taking care of his body.
"I don't eat junk food a lot like that a lot anyways. So it's just like the regular season, you know, making sure I get my work in, I eat proper, I get the proper treatment, weight lifting and stretches, massage, things like that.
"Because like I said, there's no telling when we start up. I want to be ready to go as much as possible."
Watch Harden in the new BodyArmor ad below:
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