What was the toughest thing to give up?
Definitely fried chicken and pulled pork. I’m from Winston Salem [North Carolina]. I was just home—that’s where my wife and kids are now. It’s crazy to drive by Bojangles now and not even be able to give it a look [laughs].
Are cookies still a favorite?
Absolutely. There are vegan cookies now, so I still love cinnamon and raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies, churros, and all those kind of things.
What’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner look like nowadays for you?
There are so many different foods that you’re able to eat. I have pancakes all the time. A lot of people don’t realize that the only difference between plant-based pancakes and regular ones are eggs. Breakfast usually includes a JustEgg scramble with vegetables, Beyond Meat sausage patties, a side of fruit and my vitamins. Lunch would be salad, a sauteed vegetable bowl with rice and a protein drink. For dinner, my chef prepares meals that give me nutrients I need to perform the next day. I eat a variety of beans, grains, and veggies. The biggest thing when I went plant-based is it opened me up to the diversity of foods that you can have.
It’s the offseason, but can you give me an overview of your game-day routine?
I’ll get up and eat breakfast. I’ll get to the gym and get a lift in before shoot around. After shootaround, I’ll come home, have a mini meal, and then get body work for about two hours. Right after that, I’ll take my nap for about two hours. I’ll get up, get dressed, eat my pregame meal and head to the arena. I’ll get there, do all my stretching, an activation lift, and then it’s game time.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten before a game?
When I came into the league, it was nothing for me to have a burger and fries or chicken wings and fries before a game. When you’re that young, you don’t know. I probably still went out and had 30.
What does recovery look like nowadays at 37?
It’s still a lot of body and tissue work and stretching. I think reducing inflammation has helped me. I’m not saying going plant-based is for everybody but for me, that was one of the first things I focused on. To play the amount of games and minutes that I’ve played and still feel good is a win for me.
You’re now an investor for Move, an insole company. What made you want to become an investor?
Being involved in grassroots basketball, I just wanted to be able to share the knowledge that I gained over the years of being in the NBA. One thing about Move—and the body overall—is that everything begins with your feet. One of the things that a lot of fans don’t necessarily see is they don’t see what happens in the locker room or when guys get to practice – the first thing they do when they get a new pair of shoes is they look for their orthotics or insoles. To get that information, not only to younger athletes but to the masses is very important.