Latest news with #AndreIguodala
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I've had a hard time sleeping. So I asked an expert who works with elite athletes for advice
The Athletic The other night, as I tried to fall asleep around midnight, I started to panic. I hadn't slept the previous night. Or the night before that. Or much at all in the last week. I was exhausted, I couldn't concentrate, and I felt like a zombie. Advertisement And yet I didn't feel close to dozing off. My mind wandered; my brain hopped from topic to topic. Before I knew it, another hour had passed. , I thought, and that made me nervous. The last thing I needed was another sleepless night. Many of our conversations here at Peak revolve around how athletes and coaches can improve their performance. By now, sleep is widely recognized as a crucial component of the equation. However, that doesn't mean it's easy. Former NBA player Andre Iguodala resorted to long naps since adrenaline from games made it hard to sleep. Golfers Jason Day and Bubba Watson have both discussed their struggles with sleep. And gold-medalist gymnast Aly Raisman attributed overthinking and anxiety to her sleep problems. My recent struggles have made me think: What do professional athletes do when they have trouble sleeping? Maybe the answers would help me (and you). Advertisement I called Dr. Chris Winter, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist for several professional sports teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team one win away from winning an NBA championship. When I told Winter that I, too, was struggling to sleep, he happily chirped, 'OK!' He didn't seem too concerned. However, I realized where that was coming from once he started talking. 'The more that organizations care and pay attention to sleep, it's kind of accidentally putting players under even more pressure,' he said. 'It's an interesting space to navigate. It's not managing sleep as much as it is managing your expectation of sleep.' What was happening to me, Winter said, is what happens to a lot of players he works with. Winter reminded me that when we understand something is important, we care when it begins to plummet and naturally grow a little worried. More experts are emphasizing the importance of sleep to high-performance athletes, which Winter views as a double-edged sword. Advertisement He grimaces when he sees specific self-help sleep articles. You know the ones: Winter doesn't deny that some of the advice is truthful — falling asleep in a colder, darker room, for example, or engaging in a relaxing activity like reading before bed. However, his bigger concern is that people overthink sleep and struggle with it. A while back, he was working with a San Francisco Giants player. This player walked into spring training one day and said, 'My twin babies were up vomiting all night, and I didn't get any sleep. I can't play like this.' Instead, the player hit two home runs in a game for the first time in his career. Advertisement Winter believes the problem isn't so much a lack of sleep. It's our expectation of what we think will happen if we don't get enough sleep that has the biggest impact. He gave me an analogy: 'Nobody ever skips one meal and calls the doctor to say, 'I have a problem. I went out to lunch with some people and I am not feeling hungry for some reason. I got a Diet Coke but didn't eat my sandwich. What should I do? What pills should I take?' ' I wanted to know from Winter if there was anything tangible that we could do to try and combat the spiral effect that comes with not falling asleep quickly. Simply not worrying about sleep is easier said than done. With several of the teams he has worked with, Winter has introduced a device called 'Muse.' It's a brain-sensing headband that monitors brain activity and spews out real-time feedback during meditation and sleep. One WNBA player tried the device, and her results revealed that she was significantly more relaxed when trying to fall asleep than anyone else on her team. Advertisement He asked her what she was thinking about before she fell into that peaceful state. She told him she imagined herself in an empty, dark gym. Someone would throw her a ball, she would shoot a free throw, watch it go in, over and over. Winter was intrigued. 'What made you think to do that?' he asked. 'I've done this all my life,' the player said. 'It felt comfortable.' Most of us might never use a brain-sensing headband, but Winter believes putting ourselves in a comfortable situation can help. Perhaps it's visualizing something nostalgic, such as walking through your favorite park or mentally engaging in a familiar activity you enjoy. Advertisement 'If you can get in bed and be awake but you're in that sort of deep, meditative state, you're recovering your brain about as well as you would if you were sleeping,' Winter said. 'People think it's about falling asleep fast. That's a terrible metric. We don't say, 'Here's how to eat your dinner faster.' Resting is very restorative. If before bed you like to meditate, brainstorm ideas for new things, think about a screenplay, go on imaginary dates with your celebrity crush, I think that's awesome.' Since the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals, I asked Winter what tips he has shared with Thunder players. He said he wants players to accept that they can't just shut their minds off, so instead he wants them to remember that it won't make or break everything if they don't get the perfect amount of sleep. That thought process, he said, can relieve the pressure of having to fall asleep immediately. Winter also encourages people to spend less time in bed outside of sleeping and to avoid using blue light screens before bedtime. And for those who still struggle, he'll suggest creating a schedule. Document the time you tried to fall asleep, the time you fell asleep, if you woke up at any point during the night and any naps you took. Advertisement You can collect a few weeks' worth of data before adding up all those hours of sleep and dividing them by the number of days. That will give you your sleep average. Noticing patterns and making adjustments from there can really help, he said, but there's one part that should never change: The time you wake up each morning. In a way, a fixed wake-up time trains your brain. You can fall asleep early or stay up as late as you want, but by waking up at the designated time each day, your personal sleep drive becomes stronger. Sleeping in here and there, Winter said, will shorten your sleep drive. 'When you have a schedule, your brain starts to understand the opportunity of sleep,' he said. 'So your brain gets really, really excited and driven to make use of the time that you are given. You just want to kind of create a little bit of that in your own life.' I admit, some of this seems a little self-explanatory, but Winter explained that simple reminders go a long way for the athletes he works with, too. Advertisement Since I've spoken with Winter, I've slept a little better. It's not a dramatic difference, but I do feel more comfortable than before. One night, I visualized a nostalgic scene and mentally engaged in an activity there. I pictured my sisters and I picking berries from my great-grandmother's berry bushes in eastern Pennsylvania when we were little, then eating lunch at her kitchen table afterward. To my surprise, I fell asleep after that. More than anything, though, hearing Winter explain why there isn't that much to worry about has lessened my spiraling at night. As he reminded me, there's no need to overthink it. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Oklahoma City Thunder, San Francisco Giants, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Peak, Sports Leadership 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
19-06-2025
- Health
- New York Times
I've had a hard time sleeping. So I asked an expert who works with elite athletes for advice
Editor's note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic's desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here. The other night, as I tried to fall asleep around midnight, I started to panic. I hadn't slept the previous night. Or the night before that. Or much at all in the last week. I was exhausted, I couldn't concentrate, and I felt like a zombie. And yet I didn't feel close to dozing off. My mind wandered; my brain hopped from topic to topic. Before I knew it, another hour had passed. I'm supposed to wake up in five hours, I thought, and that made me nervous. The last thing I needed was another sleepless night. Advertisement Many of our conversations here at Peak revolve around how athletes and coaches can improve their performance. By now, sleep is widely recognized as a crucial component of the equation. However, that doesn't mean it's easy. Former NBA player Andre Iguodala resorted to long naps since adrenaline from games made it hard to sleep. Golfers Jason Day and Bubba Watson have both discussed their struggles with sleep. And gold-medalist gymnast Aly Raisman attributed overthinking and anxiety to her sleep problems. My recent struggles have made me think: What do professional athletes do when they have trouble sleeping? Maybe the answers would help me (and you). I called Dr. Chris Winter, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist for several professional sports teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team one win away from winning an NBA championship. When I told Winter that I, too, was struggling to sleep, he happily chirped, 'OK!' He didn't seem too concerned. However, I realized where that was coming from once he started talking. 'The more that organizations care and pay attention to sleep, it's kind of accidentally putting players under even more pressure,' he said. 'It's an interesting space to navigate. It's not managing sleep as much as it is managing your expectation of sleep.' What was happening to me, Winter said, is what happens to a lot of players he works with. Winter reminded me that when we understand something is important, we care when it begins to plummet and naturally grow a little worried. More experts are emphasizing the importance of sleep to high-performance athletes, which Winter views as a double-edged sword. He grimaces when he sees specific self-help sleep articles. You know the ones: Five ways to fall asleep faster. Sleep hacks that actually work! Winter doesn't deny that some of the advice is truthful — falling asleep in a colder, darker room, for example, or engaging in a relaxing activity like reading before bed. However, his bigger concern is that people overthink sleep and struggle with it. Advertisement A while back, he was working with a San Francisco Giants player. This player walked into spring training one day and said, 'My twin babies were up vomiting all night, and I didn't get any sleep. I can't play like this.' Instead, the player hit two home runs in a game for the first time in his career. Winter believes the problem isn't so much a lack of sleep. It's our expectation of what we think will happen if we don't get enough sleep that has the biggest impact. He gave me an analogy: 'Nobody ever skips one meal and calls the doctor to say, 'I have a problem. I went out to lunch with some people and I am not feeling hungry for some reason. I got a Diet Coke but didn't eat my sandwich. What should I do? What pills should I take?' ' I wanted to know from Winter if there was anything tangible that we could do to try and combat the spiral effect that comes with not falling asleep quickly. Simply not worrying about sleep is easier said than done. With several of the teams he has worked with, Winter has introduced a device called 'Muse.' It's a brain-sensing headband that monitors brain activity and spews out real-time feedback during meditation and sleep. One WNBA player tried the device, and her results revealed that she was significantly more relaxed when trying to fall asleep than anyone else on her team. He asked her what she was thinking about before she fell into that peaceful state. She told him she imagined herself in an empty, dark gym. Someone would throw her a ball, she would shoot a free throw, watch it go in, over and over. Winter was intrigued. 'What made you think to do that?' he asked. 'I've done this all my life,' the player said. 'It felt comfortable.' Most of us might never use a brain-sensing headband, but Winter believes putting ourselves in a comfortable situation can help. Perhaps it's visualizing something nostalgic, such as walking through your favorite park or mentally engaging in a familiar activity you enjoy. Advertisement 'If you can get in bed and be awake but you're in that sort of deep, meditative state, you're recovering your brain about as well as you would if you were sleeping,' Winter said. 'People think it's about falling asleep fast. That's a terrible metric. We don't say, 'Here's how to eat your dinner faster.' Resting is very restorative. If before bed you like to meditate, brainstorm ideas for new things, think about a screenplay, go on imaginary dates with your celebrity crush, I think that's awesome.' Since the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals, I asked Winter what tips he has shared with Thunder players. He said he wants players to accept that they can't just shut their minds off, so instead he wants them to remember that it won't make or break everything if they don't get the perfect amount of sleep. That thought process, he said, can relieve the pressure of having to fall asleep immediately. Winter also encourages people to spend less time in bed outside of sleeping and to avoid using blue light screens before bedtime. And for those who still struggle, he'll suggest creating a schedule. Document the time you tried to fall asleep, the time you fell asleep, if you woke up at any point during the night and any naps you took. You can collect a few weeks' worth of data before adding up all those hours of sleep and dividing them by the number of days. That will give you your sleep average. Noticing patterns and making adjustments from there can really help, he said, but there's one part that should never change: The time you wake up each morning. In a way, a fixed wake-up time trains your brain. You can fall asleep early or stay up as late as you want, but by waking up at the designated time each day, your personal sleep drive becomes stronger. Sleeping in here and there, Winter said, will shorten your sleep drive. 'When you have a schedule, your brain starts to understand the opportunity of sleep,' he said. 'So your brain gets really, really excited and driven to make use of the time that you are given. You just want to kind of create a little bit of that in your own life.' Advertisement I admit, some of this seems a little self-explanatory, but Winter explained that simple reminders go a long way for the athletes he works with, too. Since I've spoken with Winter, I've slept a little better. It's not a dramatic difference, but I do feel more comfortable than before. One night, I visualized a nostalgic scene and mentally engaged in an activity there. I pictured my sisters and I picking berries from my great-grandmother's berry bushes in eastern Pennsylvania when we were little, then eating lunch at her kitchen table afterward. To my surprise, I fell asleep after that. More than anything, though, hearing Winter explain why there isn't that much to worry about has lessened my spiraling at night. As he reminded me, there's no need to overthink it.
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a great NBA Finals, but could Jalen Williams win MVP?
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. If you're wondering how the Big 3 is going, Stephen Jackson tried to get in a fight after a game, then was recorded on video in the locker room screaming for people to google him because he 'burns' people (yes, it probably means what you think) and then made a video in his car days later saying he'll find the person who violated the sanctity of the locker room and called bloggers losers. Dwight Howard and Lance Stephenson are beefing. Also, there are rumors Jamal Crawford might join. It's exactly what you expect. Could there be an upset pick for finals MVP? I still remember being in Cleveland when the Warriors won the championship in 2015. It was the culmination of a surprise season. The Warriors took the league by storm. Steph Curry was redefining basketball. And there was a lot of chaos on the court as the Warriors were celebrating on foreign turf and the media was scrambling to figure out where the most advantageous spots were for postgame coverage. Advertisement Then, I remember being completely baffled when it was announced Andre Iguodala won the NBA Finals MVP. This is meant as no shade to Iguodala, who is an incredible role player. And he had a very good series. He was tasked with the impossible duty of slowing down a then-30-year-old LeBron James. With Kevin Love's shoulder still mostly in Kelly Olynyk's grasp from the first round and Kyrie Irving playing only one game in the finals, LeBron was all on his own in terms of stardom on the 2015 Cavaliers. He tried to do it all, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists in the series. He took over 32 shots per game in the series and averaged 11 free-throw attempts. But he was held to 39.8 percent shooting and 31 percent from deep. It was during an era when we were baffled if James was slowed down in the slightest. In a drubbing by the Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals, Kawhi Leonard was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP for doing such a great defensive job on the then-Miami Heat star. It felt like my fellow media members just kept with that notion for 2015. And Iguodala as the primary defender did a brilliant job. However, Steph Curry still had a very good series and remained the engine that made those Warriors go. He still averaged 26 points, 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds, had 44.3/38.5/88.5 splits and even put Matthew Dellevadova in the hospital due to exhaustion after one of the games. I still feel Curry should have won that 2015 NBA Finals MVP. Iguodala is one of the more surprising finals MVPs in history. He's right up there with these other distinct winners: It makes me wonder what the odds are for a surprise NBA Finals MVP in this year's championship series. I know the betting odds. BetMGM has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the heavy favorite (-600) – and for good reason. The regular-season MVP has been awesome for all but one game. But Jalen Williams (+625) has been charging the last three outings, and his story has been gaining momentum. Advertisement What would happen if, the rest of the way, SGA provides some average games while Williams contributes awesome performances? Would the latter edge out his MVP teammate? Or is that overthinking? After all, SGA is currently averaging 32.4 points, 5.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.8 blocks while making 47.4 percent of his shots! By the way, the odds are not even entertaining the idea of Tyrese Haliburton leading Indiana back to win the title and NBA Finals MVP. OKC is -2500 to win (Indiana +1050), and Haliburton is +4000 for finals MVP. Caitlin Clark involved in another scuffle 👊 Fight fever. We had a skirmish in the Fever-Sun game. Caitlin Clark was knocked to the ground. 🏀 What if? The Pacers are on the brink of elimination. Game 4 may haunt them for a long time. 🏀 Mid-series trade! The Pacers aren't too busy in the NBA Finals to make a trade. The Pacers swapped some draft picks. 🏀 World icon. I can't recommend this Sabrina Ionescu profile enough. Her global reach is so impressive. 🏀 Shots! John Hollinger wants to make sure your point guard has a running mate. Here are his best free-agent shooting guards. 📺 New era? How does the NBA's new media deal affect national and local markets? 👥 Bond-builder. Although Gregg Popovich is a coaching genius, he's also adept at tough conversations. 🎧 Tuning in. Today's 'NBA Daily' discusses the best Kevin Durant trade destination The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. Tyrese Haliburton gets MRI for calf strain You may have remembered Haliburton looking incredibly hobbled during the Pacers' Game 5 loss to the Thunder. At times, the Pacers wondered if they were even going to play him in the second half of the game. That's how bad things were when he went down during the first quarter of Game 5. But Haliburton tried to give it a go, and did have a few impactful moments while moving the ball around. Advertisement He also didn't make a single shot in the game and finished with four points, six assists, seven rebounds and three turnovers in 34 minutes. It turns out Haliburton has a calf injury and had an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury: 'Haliburton is dealing with a calf strain and was to undergo further imaging Tuesday, but he wants to play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals with his team's season on the brink. 'A source briefed on Haliburton's injury confirmed the calf strain and further testing, including an MRI, but also said Haliburton would push to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder.' It would be shocking if Haliburton didn't try to play with the Pacers' season and championship hopes on the line at home. But there also has to be concern for the franchise guard risking much more serious injury to the calf. Regardless, the Pacers must win tomorrow's game at home in order to force a Game 7 in Oklahoma City. Will you, Bouncers, bury Pacers in Game 6? We have an extra day between Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals, as the Thunder are awaiting a chance at closing out the Pacers. That's good news for Haliburton's calf, and I'll be honest that I don't care which franchise ends up winning its first NBA title. However, I really want the Pacers to take Game 6 so we can have a Game 7. This has been a very fun and interesting NBA Finals to me. The ratings have been rough for the league and its broadcasting partner, but that just means people are missing out on a great series so far. I'd love to see the Pacers force a must-win for both teams and give us the ultimate basketball drama on Sunday. Well … I guess the ultimate basketball drama would involve the forward formally known as Ron Artest going into the stands, but I digress. I'm curious what you, the Bouncers, are hoping for in Thursday's Game 6. Are you looking for a coronation of the best team in the NBA all season? Are you hoping for the Pacers forcing that do-or-die Game 7? Do you want Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be crowned or embarrassed? Are you rooting for a Haliburton return to form? Or do you want the choke sign meme to slap him in the face like a wrestling heel turn? We've got a poll for you to participate in regarding Game 6 of the NBA Finals. We'll publish the results of the poll in Thursday's edition of The Bounce, leading up to the game action. Twelve years ago, Ray Allen hit The Shot On this date, back in 2013, one of the greatest shots in basketball history ripped through the net. So many of us still remember this moment like it happened five seconds ago. The Spurs opted for switching and versatility instead of Duncan being on the floor. LeBron missed a game-tying 3-pointer as the Heat were about to lose their second NBA Finals in three years with the big three of LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Advertisement Then, Bosh came soaring in for the rebound. He snatched it out of the air, found Allen retreating toward the corner and shoveled the ball to him, and the latter made sure to set his feet behind the arc in the corner before he let that thing fly against a closing Tony Parker. As soon as it left Allen's hands, everybody in the basketball world knew one of the greatest shooters ever was coming through in the clutch. Allen tied the game up, and the refs had to go make sure both feet were behind the line. Overtime ensued as the Heat won en route to a Game 7 victory and back-to-back championships. But my favorite part of this moment wasn't the rebound or the shot. It was Allen trash-talking NBA personnel. Because San Antonio was up five with 28 seconds to go, and the finals are technically a television show, the league was preparing for a Spurs ceremony. They had the trophy courtside, ready for Popovich and company to hoist it for the fifth time in franchise history. There were yellow ropes being brought up so the league could section off the court for only the most necessary people to cover the ceremony. Allen didn't like that. He hit the shot and yelled to get 'those motherf— ropes out of here.' He and the Heat weren't done yet. Moments like this showed why the Heat wanted Allen on the team. It's one of the greatest clutch moments ever. If he doesn't make that shot, maybe the Heat's core would've broken up that summer instead of the following one. Even more scrutiny would have befallen that big three. Get those motherf— ropes off the court, please. Ray Allen still has business to tend to. Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NBA, Take-Two Form New Media Company to ‘Celebrate' Basketball, Extend Long-Standing Games Pact
The NBA and video game publisher Take-Two Interactive's 2K, which publishes the 'NBA 2K' franchise, renewed their ongoing licensing deal Friday. Additionally, the companies have taken things a step further in their long-standing partnership by announcing new joint venture media company, NBA Take-Two Media. Per the NBA and Take-Two's 2K, NBA Take-Two Media is described as 'a modern entertainment company that will bring fans and players together through competitive gaming, social-first content, original programming and live events.' Advertisement More from Variety The new business was 'created to celebrate basketball's unique role in culture' and will 'produce stories and experiences across gaming, travel, music, fashion, food and more in partnership with tastemakers, athletes, creators and fans.' ''NBA 2K' has engaged a new generation of basketball fans in an increasingly digital world,' NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Friday. 'By expanding our partnership and creating NBA Take-Two Media, we look forward to building on the incredible success of the NBA 2K franchise.' 'We are immensely pleased to continue our long-standing, highly successful partnership with the NBA and the NBPA and look forward to building upon the record-setting achievements that we have accomplished together,' Take-Two Interactive CEO and chairman Strauss Zelnick said. 'I would like to thank Adam Silver, Andre Iguodala and all our partners at the NBA and NBPA for their continued support and shared vision to empower NBA 2K to become the premier interactive entertainment basketball franchise. We are excited to unveil NBA Take-Two Media and look forward to seeing how it will create an entirely new and multi-faceted NBA experience for our communities.' Advertisement NBPA executive director Andre Iguodala added: 'NBA 2K is a staple in the basketball community and has given fans a dynamic and immersive opportunity to experience the game and deepen their connection with the players. The extension of this partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation while expanding the reach of our sport to new audiences around the world.' Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sixers draft history: Andre Iguodala selected No. 9 overall in 2004
Sixers draft history: Andre Iguodala selected No. 9 overall in 2004 With the NBA draft right around the corner, now is the time to look at some past drafts and see what the Philadelphia 76ers have done in their history. The Sixers have selected some big-time players in the past who have become an important part of the fabric of the franchise's history. This series continues with the 2004 NBA draft. After a disappointing 2003-04 season, the Sixers landed the No. 9 pick in the draft and selected athletic wing Andre Iguodala out of Arizona. Philadelphia needed some help on the wings around superstar Allen Iverson and Iguodala was the choice for the front office. In his rookie season, Iguodala averaged 9.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals while starting all 82 games and helping the Sixers reach the playoffs. In his first postseason appearance, he averaged 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks against the then-defending champion Detroit Pistons. Overall, Iguodala spent eight seasons in the City of Brotherly Love and averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 steals before being shipped to the Denver Nuggets in the 2012 offseason. He was named an All-Star in the 2011-12 season before the trade. Iguodala played 19 years in the league, playing for the Sixers, Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat. He ended up winning finals MVP in 2015 when Golden State won its first of four titles in a 7-year span.
