Former NBA Player Blasts Today's Players for Load Management

The NBA game today is a lot different from how it was in the past. It is faster paced, way more three-point focused, and the stars play a lot fewer games. Whether this is from injuries or "load management," a lot of ex-NBA players don't fully respect this generation of players because of their lack of grit. 

Recently, former NBA big man Brendan Haywood discussed load management and why Michael Jordan would never be caught skipping games unless it was absolutely necessary. 

"I learned so much from watching Michael Jordan. But when we're talking about load management and the players from the past versus the players of today, I saw it firsthand. So Mike hurt his knee, and he had like a MCL surgery or a cleanup, but his knee was starting to swell up down the stretch of the season. And man, I was in the training room, and they were draining like this disgusting stuff out of his knee just for him to be able to play. Man, I'm watching it, and I'm terrified of needles. So I'm already over there, like that's why I don't have any tattoos, no piercings. I'm terrified of needles. So, I'm watching him put this needle on his knee, drain this swelling out, and he was being forced to do this every couple of games. Now, Mike, this is 40-year-old Mike. And I asked Mike, I said, "Mike, why are you doing this? You have nothing left to prove." He said, "Man, somebody gave their last dollar to come see me play and bring their kid to the game, and I feel like it's my duty to give them the Michael Jordan experience."

They don’t build them like Jordan anymore. Players today are actually urged by their own training staff to take days off if they are starting to feel pain coming on. 

That being said, the game today requires almost twice as much running as it did in the past. Players are playing longer careers as well. And what is probably most important is that players are retiring with bodies that still work. 

Former NBA players didn’t have the foresight to save their bodies for longer careers and a healthier life after playing. Now they do, and some of the ex-NBA greats simply don’t understand it.