NBA players captivate fans on a nightly basis with what they’re able to do on the hardwood. It’s the best basketball league in the world, and even on the laziest of winter evenings, those who suit up and play the game remind us of this. But with how players use social media as a way to shorten the gap between themselves and fans — along with the fact that players are as comfortable as ever to explore interests away from the floor — NBA players have become increasingly comfortable letting their off-court interests help define them as much as what they do on the court.
On this episode of Dime Breakdowns, we decided to look at some of the most interesting hobbies and hobbyists in the league. Some of these aren’t new interests — for example, players have always dabbled in music, and that legacy has been carried on by Victor Oladipo, who might have the best pipes of anyone to ever play in the league. Others, like Serge Ibaka’s love of cooking for his teammates on YouTube or Paul George’s use of fishing as a way to clear his head, aren’t as widespread but are well-known things that they love.
The extent to which basketball players show off their off-court interest vary, but these hobbies tend to include a little bit of everything.