Al Jefferson says he gave up fried chicken, lost 20 pounds this summer

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Charlotte Hornets Al Jefferson says he gave up fried chicken, lost 20 pounds this summer







Al Jefferson (left) says he has dropped 20 pounds after giving up fried chicken this summer. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Print Email Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com By Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

on September 19, 2015 at 11:15 PM





Charlotte Hornets star Al Jefferson has always used his size to his advantage, but as players age (especially big men), size can become an issue.

Heavy big men, no matter how strong they are, often find themselves suffering from joint, knee or foot problems that they can't shake. NBA miles are tough on any frame, and when that frame is carrying 250-plus pounds, the result can be injury problems that limit a talented player and shorten a career. As a result, many bigs decide to drop some extra pounds as they get older to take stress off aching joints and appendages.

For Jefferson, who weighed in around 290 last season, shedding weight meant cutting out a staple, per an interview with the Charlotte Observer: Fried chicken. Not unlike a smoker who can't watch someone else puffing on a cigarette, Jefferson needed to remove all temptation.

"Every Popeye's commercial I see, I have to turn the TV off," Jefferson told the Observer. "...(I've lost) 20-plus (pounds). One thing about losing weight: It becomes a lot easier once you become disciplined about what you're eating. Cutting out the sugar and the starch. Taking care of your body. Once I got into a routine it became pretty easy. And I knew what I was doing it for – to take some of the weight off my knees and getting my body into better shape than last year."

Every athlete likes to talk about their offseason work, and for good reason: When you've put a ton of time, effort and (especially) sweat into something, you want people to know how effective it has been. Wolves forward Shabazz Muhammad has been criticized before for his body, and as a result, he frequently tweets out how his workouts have been going (worth noting: They appear to be going...very, very well).

The Hornets probably weren't fixated on a certain number of pounds — or the elimination of a specific food — for Jefferson. More than likely, they simply want a full, healthy season out of their franchise center, and if that means dropping a bunch of weight, they'll be happy to see the results, whether or not 20 pounds is a reasonable expectation. Jefferson looked slower than in any previous season last year and missed 17 games due to injury. As Charlotte looks to return to playoff form, Jefferson's health will play a crucial role, and the Hornets' higher-ups are well aware of how heavily he impacts a game when he is healthy.

Some added mobility could do interesting things for Jefferson's game even setting his long-term health aside. Jefferson thrives off his ability to utilize size and craftiness around the basket to his advantage, but assuming he can maintain his strength and effectiveness offensively, a little extra quickness could be big for a player who has admitted freely that he struggles to defend the pick-and-roll. Most of Jefferson's effectiveness revolves around his footwork rather than his size, so if he can make his footwork a little quicker and lighter, he could see significant improvement this season.

Fried chicken would be difficult to give up for additional mobility, but when your contract is worth $13.5 million over the next season and you'll need to negotiate a new one under the new cap next season, perhaps fried chicken is the price you pay. Still, it's delicious and saying "No" to a big chicken tender would require some real mental strength. Well done, Al.


bob
MY NOTE:  Gives up eating fried chicken and loses 20#.  Go figure...


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I am calling b.s.

Fred chicken is one of my all time favorite foods and this year I've had it mebbe 3 times and I've gained about 8 lbs. It used to be a main staple of my diet.