Jared Dudley breaks down the Impact training series
The NBA lockout officially started on July 1. Through failed negotiations between the Players Association and the NBA owners, some players anticipated a prolonged lockout into the fall. Fast forward to Sept. 19. Under normal circumstances NBA players would already be in their team's city, practicing with teammates and working with coaches and training staff. Instead there are charity games, exhibition games and workouts in training facilities to sharpen basketball skills. That is when the idea of the Impact training series began.
At Impact Basketball, players can work on their basketball skills, weight training and play five-on-five games against fellow NBA players.
Over 70 NBA players ranging from young stars like John Wall, Stephen Curry and DeMar DeRozan to seasoned veterans like Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis and Corey Maggette just completed a two-week training series in Las Vegas. As an NBA player/JMZ reporter, I wanted to give fans behind the scenes exclusive footage of these talented NBA players.
The video above gives insight on player's individual and team goals, what they have been working on this summer to improve their basketball game, and their views on the NBA lockout. As well as a few questions you haven't heard in a standard player interview.
As professionals we are paid to play this game. We're collectively dedicated to train as hard as we can during the offseason to improve our teams for the upcoming season. As labor talks come and go and rumors swirl about players going overseas, the games at Impact, headed by Joe Abunassar, show players are working hard and will be ready to play when the NBA lockout ends.
As I usually state on my JMZ Videos and @Jared Dudley619, this is me signing off.
