As Team USA braces itself for the Paris Olympics 2024, LeBron James and Steph Curry have had to navigate personal obstacles. On the “Mind the Game” podcast with JJ Redick, LeBron talked about his offseason schedule and how he’s preparing for Paris. While he discussed his training timeline, transition pains, and the need to “switch it up”, Curry had to give up ambitions to defend his title at the American Century Championship, a Golf tournament!
The NBA star has always dedicated a significant portion of his off-season to rest and recovery, giving his body enough time to heal from the demanding season. But as the Olympic training draws near, James must find a balance. He revealed that the training camp would start in Vegas two months from now. “I don’t want to go into training camp doing nothing on the court for two months, so I’m going to kind of switch it up a little bit,” he revealed. LeBron James went on to describe his revised schedule.
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He plans to take May off to recover and will resume training gradually in June. He also discussed the transition to a ‘FIBA ball’. “I’ll work on getting a feel for the ball. So now, I got the fiba ball I got to work with so that’s a little different,” he noted. Similar dedication is shared by his teammate, Steph Curry, who recently had to take a huge step.
If you’re a fan, then you know how passionate Curry is about golf. He currently holds the 2023 American Century Championship and had to drop the opportunity to defend it because it clashes with the Olympics. “The chance to represent my country and, hopefully, win an Olympic gold medal for the first time at the 2024 Games in Paris is an opportunity that I simply could not pass up,” Curry admitted.
Golf is more than just a hobby for Steph. He became the first person of African-American descent to win the ACC last year. As Curry joins James in the training camp soon, the duo will grapple with the transition. One challenge that stands out is that of the FIBA ball. How’s it different from the NBA ball?
LeBron James and Steph’s peculiar NBA offseason adjustment
For LeBron James and Stephen Curry, switching from the familiar NBA ball to the FIBA ball may pose a challenge. Although the distinctions between the two might seem subtle, they can have a big effect on a player’s game. Slight adjustments to shooting, dribbling, and general ball management will be required.
NBA’s ball measures between 749.3 and 755.65 mm from the spherical line. The weight of the ball is 623.7 grams. Meanwhile, In FIBA, the ball’s maximum is 780 mm and the minimum circumference is 749 mm. Notably, the maximum FIBA ball weight is 650 grams, and the minimum is 567 grams.
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Even though many claim that the two are the same, most players report a difference. Analyst Brian Windhorst called it a ‘softer but bouncier ball’. Former player Deron Williams had said, “They’re slippery. It takes a while to break a ball in. We don’t play with new ones in the NBA, we use the ones that are worn in.”
Raja Bell also admitted that it’s lighter and smaller with a different texture, which affects gameplay.
The consensus is clear, the FIBA ball will be hard to get used to. It will be challenging for the legendary duo too, as they aren’t accustomed to it. Paris is approaching and they have a few months to hone their skills. LeBron James looks to win his third gold while Stephen Curry plans on making the new addition to his cabinet.