The Real-Life Diet of Jabari Parker, Who Suffered Two Knee Injuries and Changed Everything

When Jabari Parker was drafted second overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2014 NBA Draft, he couldn’t have imagined at the time that he would miss nearly 150 games due to injury in his first three seasons. After two ACL tears and the subsequent surgeries and grueling rehabilitation periods, though, this is exactly how things unfolded for the 22-year-old forward who is finishing his fourth NBA season, and who was finally able to return to the floor in February—just in time to help the Bucks mount a playoff push.

Suffering two serious non-contact injuries can leave a player searching for answers, and Parker used the time away from the floor to evaluate the variables in his life and career that he can control. He tweaked his diet and training, improved his sleep habits, and worked to find mental clarity amid the non-stop rush of the NBA lifestyle.

Though the start of his career has had more than its share of unexpected roadblocks, Parker’s focus remains firmly on the present. He can thank his carefully cultivated game-day routine for that.

GQ: Have your eating habits or approach to nutrition changed since entering the league three years ago?

Jabari Parker: It definitely has changed. I've been eating clean for the first time in my life. When you grow up where healthy food isn’t easily accessible, you eat a lot of processed food and whatever else is available—McDonalds, fast food, cheap food. Towards my third year, those habits had to change drastically because I was going through another rehab phase [after my second ACL surgery], and I just wanted to do everything in my power to stay healthy. And it makes a difference.

Do you feel a big difference with what you’re putting in your body when you’re playing?

I can definitely feel a change with how I feel. I just had to learn that food is going be there no matter what. We waste so much food. You can’t rely on eating all the time just because it’s there. You can't have the mentality that it’s going to never come back. That’s what I had. I never really knew when I was going to eat again, so that’s why I would enjoy food—especially if it was good food, I would take it all in one portion. Nowadays, I eat and as soon as I feel full, I stop.

Do you work with a nutritionist or a chef now?

I have a nutritionist with the team. I have a dietician, too. His name is Shawn Zell. He’s also the team chef and dietician. It makes it so much easier. It changed my health. I’m the lightest I’ve been since high school.

Did you also have to make changes when you were rehabbing and not able to be out on the court playing every day?

I had to change the way I was eating because I wanted to keep the inflammation out of my body so that I could recover faster. More greens and more fruits, instead of starches. I can have starch, but not for snacks. If I need a snack, I’ll have some natural sugars.

What do you do after the game? There’s adrenaline flowing, it’s late, you’re hungry, and you’ve just exerted a bunch of energy. What do you choose then?

Just eating the right foods. Especially here, [with the Bucks], we get the best, the finest treatment. Get you a plate, make sure you eat, and stay away from all the sugar.

Take us through the menu for a typical game day.

Breakfast is eggs and potatoes, usually. For lunch I eat a salad or some pasta. That’s usually our pre-game meal. Then for dinner they give us fish, steak, or chicken. Broccoli, rice, asparagus. Everywhere around the league, everyone usually gets chicken breast, pasta, and mixed greens.

Are you alone for pre-game meals or do you eat together as a team?

We eat together usually. Some guys might have their own food and bring their own plate, but I just eat whatever’s here.

What about beverages?

Water, and Gatorade if you need it. I was always real good at water, even before the NBA. I was really good at water. If I have juice, it’s if I need the vitamins.

Is it harder to manage these things on the road compared to when you’re home?

When I’m at home it’s a lot easier just because I know what I need to eat and I have a schedule. On the road I've got to go to a restaurant—that’s just how it is. You don't get a chance to see the best foods, both in terms of quality and of what you’d like, compared to when you’re at home.

If you’re having a meal you don’t get to have often, on the road—whatever you want—where are you going?

I love fish. Any Italian dish. I love that. Chicken. I’m a man of habit. If I go back home to Chicago, I go to a steakhouse on Rush Street. I’ll go to Rosebud, an Italian place. Those are my two go-to spots. When I’m in New York, I go to Mr. Chow. I go to Tao. I do Asian food in New York. Or I’ll switch and go to Carbone once in a while. I love their food.

From a workout standpoint, how much has that changed since you came into the league?

I definitely got the blueprint now. You’ve got to stay in the weight room because those type of exercises relieve stress and tension. It’s just like a stretch, when you do weight-lifting programs and regimens. I do that about four times a week.

Do you have a trainer with the team that you work out with every day?

I do. Suki Hobson. It’s so empowering because she’s a woman and she’s the best trainer in the NBA. She is the best and I’m glad she is my trainer.

Did you spend a lot of time with her when you were rehabbing your way back?

Yeah, I spend a lot of time with her. You can feel what you need. In your body, if you feel weak spots, if you feel sore spots, you have to direct attention to those areas. That’s what I learned from her. You have to isolate whatever you’re weak at, because that just shows you what you need. Do the cold tub and ice bags—or you have to stretch. You have to do a flush on your own just to get that lactic acid out.

You sound like you’re big on having a routine.

I am—I like it because natural habits get you prepared mentally. It gets you in that mindframe: Okay, I’m getting ready for a game. It makes a difference between getting to the game, and sitting around beforehand, and then going on the floor. Moving forward, everything has a purpose.

How about sleep? How does that factor into the equation?

Sleep is so essential. As a kid, I never really got sleep, but right now I’ve learned to put my phone away, turn the TV off, and go to bed. That has made the biggest difference. I feel so good when I'm able to get more sleep. I don't need to rely on naps throughout the day. I used to take one- or two-hour naps throughout the week. I still do game-day naps, but I get seven or eight hours of sleep per night now. I have to.

Is there anything else you’ve learned or started to factor into your own preparation?

Obviously we have physical performance, but mental performance is just as essential. I make sure I meditate. I’m a spiritual person, so I make sure I pray, and that connected to my spirit, my soul.

And I love looking at cars. That’s my escape. I learned to search for cars, look at cars, watch cars videos. I love doing that.

Do you know if anyone else on the team uses meditation or similar techniques to help them focus?

I think everybody does in their own way. Just to keep their sanity. We do so much in the public. We’re public figures, so you've got to take the time to get into yourself—the time to escape.

Are you a reader when you’re on the road?

I like autobiographies. The last book I read was Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me. That was a good one. And obviously, one of my favorites is the Autobiography of Malcolm X.

What's the biggest thing you've learned about yourself over the last three years?

Just take care of what you can in a day—not looking too far forward, not too far ahead. Whatever you can do in that day or in that moment to be better is baby steps that will take you to your goal. That’s what I’ve learned about myself. I had to learn how to slow down.

This interview has been edited and condensed.