NBA Stars Who Have Unusual Hobbies
When they’re not tearing up and down the courts and impressing the crowds with their speed, agility and hoop shooting, like many other professionals, the stars of their NBA pursue their hobbies
Sure, they could read, watch Netflix or go the cinemas if they wanted, but instead some like to engage in more unique hobbies, such as former Utah Jazz guard Joe Johnson, who collects Kicks sneakers.
Below is a look at some of the more unusual or unexpected hobbies of NBA stars, past and present.
Michael Jordan
Ex-Chicago Bulls guard Michael “Air” Jordan is one of the best basketballers of all time and especially renowned for his competitive spirit and desire to win. The Hall of Famer, six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP is not only famous for his exploits on the court, of course: it’s well noted that the Brooklyn-born basketball icon likes to gamble and has done so ever since high school.
In his early days at the Chicago Rollers, he liked to play with the high rollers in the camp and play cards with the beat writers while on the road. What’s not certain is whether he goes to a casino online, but he loves a card game.
Damian Lillard
Oakland-born guard Damian Lillard serves the Milwaukee Bucks and earned himself the nickname “Dame Time” because of his ability to score in crunch time. When he’s not playing for his team, however, he’s pursuing more than just an interest in rap: he’s following a career as a rap artist.
Ever since Lillard was young, music has been on a par with basketball in terms of his hopes and dreams. Away from the basketball court, he raps as “Dame D.O.L.L.A,” which stands for “Different on Levels the Lord Allows.” The NBA All-Star has made several albums, the latest of these being “Don D.O.L.L.A,” which came out in 2023.
Chris Paul
Chris Paul, experienced point guard for the San Antonio Spurs, a nine-time NBA All Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA, has a love of another sport besides basketball: tenpin bowling. In fact, he loves the sport so much he even owns a professional bowling team.
Paul’s passion for bowling comes from the vast amount of time he spent at bowling alleys when he was a child, as his father was part of a bowling league. Since he joined the NBA, Paul has met some big names in the professional bowling world, including Norm Duke and Pete Weber, and organizes an annual charity bowling tournament.
Proceeds from the event go towards his nonprofit foundation, the Chris Paul Family Foundation, which dedicates itself to “making a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families by focusing on education, health & wellness, and leadership.” In 2016, sports media network ESPN named the Spurs man Sports Humanitarian of the Year for harnessing the power of sport to make a positive impact on society.
Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has played 508 games, all of them starts, for previous teams Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. If he’s not holding a basketball, however, you’ll find the point guard knows his way around a baritone saxophone. He even carries a portable alto saxophone with him when he travels for games on the road.
Irving’s late mother was a classically trained pianist, which is thought to have triggered his interest in music. This was revealed not long after he was named the number one pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. In an interview with fitness publication Men’s Health online, Irving has also mentioned how he would play the intro to “Pirates of the Caribbean” all the time.
Pau Gasol
Kyrie Irving isn’t the only basketball star to have a passion for playing a musical instrument. Former Los Angeles Lakers center forward Pau Gasol does, too, but of the more classical variety. Listening to classical music helps him to relax. As well as listening to it, he plays the violin.
The Spaniard also visits the opera every year. He developed an interest while studying piano and classical music in Barcelona when he was younger. When he arrived in Los Angeles, he received a letter from the opera singer Plácido Domingo, who invited him to the opera, and he felt hugely honored. Classical music and opera became a way to switch off from basketball and get away from his busy lifestyle. In 2018, Gasol lent his support to the San Antonio Symphony orchestra, which later had to disband and saw some of the members go on to form the San Antonio Philharmonic orchestra.
NBA games are fast and furious, and understandably, players like to relax and devote time to their hobbies when not in the thick of the action. Other players who have interesting hobbies include the Lopez twins Brook and Robin, who like to collect comics.