How NBA players are working out at home during quarantine

NBA players have had to figure out creative ways to stay in shape during the COVID-19 quarantine. Here is a sampling of what they've been doing.

With the 2019-20 NBA campaign still in limbo, players need to find a way to stay in shape. The problem is, given the quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, gyms are closed and players can’t even practice with one another.

You know what that means: Home workouts galore.

Players have been posting their home workout routines throughout the lockdown, and some of their training methods have been interesting, to say the least.

Of course, there are a lot of ball-handling drills on display, most of which (okay — all of which) are incredibly difficult for the average athlete to execute.

For example, Malcolm Brogdon’s plank dribble workout would be nearly impossible for an average person who just decided to go into their backyard to start working on their handles. But because Brogdon gets paid to play basketball for a living, he makes it look simple.

Still, the best part of this video has to be the intro, where Zach LaVine is being fiercely guarded by his dog before ultimately draining a jumper in his pup’s face.

The NBA is reportedly targeting July 31 as its return date, so players still have a couple of months left before the season potentially resumes. That means even more time for them to annoy their neighbors with their constant dribbling.

And the thing is, as challenging as some of these drills and workouts are, they are still not enough to simulate live game action. Nothing is.

That’s why it is going to be very difficult for NBA players to get back into the swing of things if and when the season does return, but it’s also why it’s imperative for them to stay in shape in their off time to prevent injuries.

Obviously, players do these types of drills and workouts during the offseason anyway, but the difference is that the circumstances are quite different.

The good news is they seem to be having a good time in the process, which should hopefully lead to a productive and injury-free remainder of the season, if and when it restarts.

For now, all we can do is watch players working out in their homes. It’s certainly not the ideal form of entertainment, but it’s the closest we can get to actual basketball at the moment.