Miami Heat Forward Andre Iguodala On Potential NBA Return: 'Health Number One Thing To Keep In Mind'
(CBSMiami)- The Miami Heat re-opened their practice facility earlier this week and momentum seems to be building towards a potential return of the NBA season.
Heat forward Andre Iguodala told CNET's Lindsey Turrentine on the "Now What" video series that the most important thing that needs to be considered in any potential return is player health.
"It's very interesting. There are a lot of things at stake, with health being the number one thing we have to keep in mind and player safety. Peace of mind as well, knowing that we could possibly be in an environment and what that environment may look like." said Iguodala. "I think that is most important. But as we've seen throughout these times, not just in sports but in politics and with our unemployment numbers being the way that they are, what's the right time to move forward and at what cost."
The 36-year-old Iguodala has, like the rest of us, been dealing with the uncertainty surrounding life in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He told Turrentine that his advice for younger players in dealing with this kind of uncertainty is the same as dealing with any uncertainty on the basketball court. Be proactive rather than reactive.
"I think it's just about maximizing your time and the situation that you're in. Understanding that there is going to be ups and downs, understanding that you have to be able to adjust with any situation that comes your way," said Iguodala. "You talk about professional sports and especially contact sports with reactions. I always tell guys it is better to be proactive than reactive. When you're proactive you can get to a space first and that puts you in a position of power. You take those same principals of being on the court, trying to be first, trying to study and be ahead of the curve and you put those towards some of your interests off the court."
Earlier this week, I interviewed bestselling author (and my favorite basketball player) @andre. We talked about what happens next for games, how everyone can train like the NBA does (at home) and how to think about uncertain futures. What a joy https://t.co/KVK3ExWNB8
— Lindsey Turrentine (@lturrentine) May 15, 2020
The team did return to practice facilities for the first time this week, but many players have been without access to gyms of any kind since the facilities shut down in March. So, Turrentine asked Iguodala what he has been doing and how NBA players have been staying in shape during this extended period away from the gym.
"With the Miami Heat we have Zoom workouts 4-5 times a week and you have about eight or nine guys at least on there. We're making do with the bikes, treadmills, some weights. Even if you just have a set of 40s or 50s, there is a plethora of workouts you can accomplish," said Iguodala. "I've gotten really creative in the front yard doing a lot of boxing workouts. You get the right trainer over a Zoom call and trainers are very creative. Their whole passion is to make you suffer so, you can get a good workout.
The full interview is worth a watch as Iguodala discusses a variety of topics with Turrentine.