What’s fueling your favorite NBA star? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
The NBA’s newest obsession has nothing to do with 3-point shooting or defensive assignments.
No, the secret addiction for NBA players is pregame peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, according to a in-depth story by ESPN. ESPN details how the 2007-08 Boston Celtics started the fad, which has now spread across the league. Former All-Star Kevin Garnett is considered the pioneer.
Teams have unique pregame spreads with different types of peanut butters, including almond butter and Nutella, as well as an assortment of jellies. Some players like their sandwiches toasted. Others prefer the crusts cut off.
Kills me that multimillionaire NBA players revere the PB&J when impoverished minor league ballplayers that subsist on it learn to loathe it. https://t.co/INlx0Qs8z8
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 21, 2017
“The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is absolutely never going to not be in the NBA. And I feel confident saying never,” said Dr. Cate Shanahan, the nutritionist for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is considered a staple of American kids’ diets, not necessarily known for fueling high-level athletic performance. NBA nutritionists, however, prefer the sandwiches to some of the players’ other pre-game food choices, according to ESPN.
Only in the NBA can one man essentially convince an entire league to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
— Darren Hartwell (@darren_hartwell) March 22, 2017
So, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the NBA's secret obsession? pic.twitter.com/v5z19Yrwzw
— The Bite Life (@TheBiteLife) March 22, 2017
Got my Strawberry Preserves, Whole Grain Bread, and Organic Peanut Butter ready to join the NBA revolution
— Drew Dinkmeyer (@DrewDinkmeyer) March 22, 2017
The first known reference to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches came in 1901, according to KitchenProject.com. The sandwiches soared in popularity after World War II when American soldiers were given the sandwiches as part of their rations. Sales of peanut butter and jelly went up when the troops returned home.
Good news for your peanut butter and jelly fans — and I’m looking at you, NBA players – April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day.
This story was originally published March 22, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "What’s fueling your favorite NBA star? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.."