Giannis Antetokounmpo
When Giannis Antetokounmpo entered the league, he was a skinny kid with a height of 6'9" and 190 pounds. With hard work and dedication over the years, he's developed into one of the league's strongest players over the years and reportedly stands at 6'11 and weighs 242 pounds.
The Greek Freak, a two-time regular-season MVP, is an unstoppable attacking force. In fact, he's the first European NBA player to bag the MVP award since Dirk Nowitzki in 2007. The phenomenal defender has worked hard to become an inspiration to several basketball fans for his rise from a budding youngster in Athens to an NBA superstar.
LeBron James
LeBron James has always had a freakish athletic ability that enables him to cover all five positions on the court with ease. From the very first dunk he took in an NBA game to the present, he has done nothing but live up to the enormous expectations that were laid on his shoulders right out of high school. James not only lived up to the hype but surpassed it.
The prodigy was already combat-ready when he made his debut weighing 240 pounds. However, he has added 20 to 40 pounds of rock-solid muscle since then. The legendary player once gained seven pounds during a playoff game which he himself called "weird."
Mike Bibby
Of all the players, Mike Bibby experienced one of the most unexpected changes. The cause is that his change happened after his NBA playing days. Bibby was a thin point guard during his playing days, but a snapshot from 2018 revealed how bulked up he had become.
Though he was a popular player when he was in the NBA, he wasn't regarded as one of the NBA's finest players. He was, however, a great fan favorite because many of them were constantly rooting for him to succeed. Following his retirement, Bibby has been working out quite a bit, and he now has a perfectly ripped physique.
James Harden
James Harden is a master of offense and is known to score in a variety of ways, but his signature step-back jumper and Euro step have gained him the greatest notoriety. Even though he has already secured his spot in the Hall of Fame and is currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, he is still after one thing: an NBA Championship ring.
The NBA star stunned his followers in May 2019 when he posted on social media about his incredible weight loss transformation. It seems that Harden worked diligently behind the scenes to shed extra weight while his teammates took a well-deserved holiday during the 2020 NBA timeout.
Joel Embiid
After a career plagued with physical rehab, Joel Embiid and his training staff got to work filling his physique to enable him to take care of himself. After he was sidelined for the 2015 season, the Philadelphia 76ers star was already planning on making a big splash for his comeback.
In addition to making a full recovery, he also returned to the court looking like the Incredible Hulk. With his impressive physical makeover, Embiid was now able to maximize his power and athleticism at his size. In 2021, he extended his stay with the 76-ers after signing a multi-year supermax contract extension.
Steven Adams
There is no disagreement among NBA players as to who the league's toughest player is. Steven Adam has consistently been one of the league's top big men in grabbing rebounds, particularly on the offensive end of the court where it is more difficult to do so. Adams appears to have mastered the power and abilities necessary for close-quarter combat.
That he wasn't always that way is very intriguing. He was a fairly lanky and slender figure when he first entered the league at the age of 20. He has since undergone an amazing change, developing one of the NBA's strongest and largest frames.
Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo had his best career year in 2016–17. That didn't stop him from trying to bounce back even more powerfully, though. He worked with Miami-based trainer David Alexander, who has experience working with several other NBA players and trained nonstop throughout the summer of 2017. The outcome? He achieved his finest physical condition ever.
He achieved this by starting a strict food regimen that included lean protein and nutritious snacks, as well as a coordinated training schedule that included weightlifting and on-court agility routines. He had a breakthrough 2017-2018 season as a result of his new, muscular frame and his newly discovered appreciation for nutritious eating.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O'Neal's career can only be described with the phrase "The Most Dominant Ever." We have all seen him cooking Michael Jordan in a one-on-one before the All-Star Game. He was unquestionably one of a kind and undoubtedly among the NBA's all-time most entertaining players, both on and off the court.
While he has served as an example for aspiring sportsmen and NBA players, more people have certainly been motivated to lose weight by his physical transformation in 2021. The former player got in shape by doing away with junk, replacing it with fruit, salads, protein drinks, and lean meat.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic, one of the highest-paid players in NBA history, has worked hard for his career and is now enjoying the rewards. If you didn't know, the standout for the Denver Nuggets, struggled with his weight throughout his career.
Despite the Serbian's amazing performances with the Nuggets, there were many worries regarding his weight and game form prior to the start of the 2019–20 NBA season. Jokic was recorded as weighing 284 pounds when the season began, but after his remarkable change during the 2020 NBA timeout, he was essentially unrecognizable. The Serbian athlete admitted that he shed 20 to 25 pounds throughout the season.
Dwight Howard
Although Dwight Howard has a poor reputation in the league, his dominant physical presence on both ends of the court is the sole reason he keeps getting new opportunities. He is a threat in the paint thanks to his quickness and quick feet.
Prior to the termination of what appeared to be his final NBA contract in 2019, Howard underwent a significant weight loss. The eight-time All-Star lost about 40 pounds and returned for the 2019 season looking like a Greek God. His trick? According to reports, Howard followed a tight running regimen with a sugar-free food intake and a 20-day fast to it.
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball appears to operate without any illusions about who he is, in contrast to many NBA players who push themselves beyond their capabilities. He knows exactly what he is capable of and what he is not. However, this does not imply that the star player does not work hard to develop personally.
Ball began to take weight training more seriously in 2017 after realizing that his greatest limitations were his lack of strength and power. His biggest transformation occurred in 2020 when he added 15 to 20 pounds of muscle weight. His newly improved strength and body would allow him to attack the basket more and guard stronger opponents.
Kevin Love
After being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love's weight has significantly decreased. He reportedly weighed 270 pounds when he entered the draft and has since lost 30 pounds. Love claims that in order to accomplish this remarkable achievement, he altered his daily meal plan to include five to six smaller meals and paid close attention to his caloric consumption.
Love was committed to maintaining excellent mental and physical health. He also drinks his body weight in water daily after being inspired by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Given that he is the only member of the 2016 championship team who's still with the Cavaliers, he must be doing something right.
Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis has remarkably added 33 pounds of weight since being drafted, largely in the form of lean muscle, while maintaining a body fat level of 10%. He weighed 220 pounds when he was chosen as the top pick in the NBA Draft but added additional muscle and thickness to his frame weighing 253 pounds in 2015.
Although he has been one of the few NBA players to remain silent on social media about his summer weight gain, there are pictures of him broad-shouldered with a more chiseled upper body on Twitter. His physique was so impressive that even the head coach, Frank Vogel, gushed about it in late 2021.
Marc Gasol
Like many NBA players, Marc Gasol, a former member of the Los Angeles Lakers, used the 2020 NBA break to hone his physical form. The Bàsquet Girona center, who began his professional career in 2008 with the Memphis Grizzlies, stated that he was tremendously motivated to make a significant change in his life following a discouraging season that appeared to be his poorest performance in twelve years statistically.
He won an NBA championship in 2019 while playing for the Toronto Raptors, who were at the time his team. For his efforts, he ended up considerably smaller and in much better physical form than before.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is undoubtedly the best point guard athlete in the history of the game. The foundation of Westbrook's game is his superior physical aptitude, which includes strength, agility, and pace. He never stops and is constantly moving at full pace, which is what slips beneath people's notice.
Thanks to a carefully planned diet, regular hydration, and a demanding training schedule, he is still playing more than 35 minutes per game at his age. Westbrook's regimen is remarkable, especially when it comes to his weightlifting and intense cardio. The former UCLA player also plays basketball five to six days a week, sometimes for up to three hours per game.
Paul Millsap
Seasoned player Paul Millsap has had an incredible career for the Philadelphia 76ers. Millsap has established a name for himself in the NBA for 16 seasons after being selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft out of Louisiana Tech.
Before he joined the Denver Nuggets and played a significant role in their victory, Millsap enjoyed considerable success with the Utah Jazz, accompanied by four All-Star seasons with the Atlanta Hawks. Taking on more of a veteran role these days, he has played for both the Brooklyn Nets and the Sixers, but there is no denying that he has had a great career.
Ben Simmons
Since leaving LSU, Benjamin David Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets has grown much stronger. In a 2016 interview, he admitted that, since leaving the Louisiana State University Tigers, he had put on about 33 pounds of muscle and increased his overall weight to over 250 pounds.
He has been among the best NBA players in the recent season because of his ability to finish in traffic while using his 6-foot-10 frame to get to the basket. Simmons uploaded photos of himself throughout the 2020 shutdown as he prepared for the NBA season, showcasing his remarkable physical transformation and shredded physique.
Tobias Harris
No one can dispute Tobias Harris' ability or basketball intelligence, but the former Detroit Pistons star added a completely new dimension to his game after undergoing a physical makeover in 2009. Prior to the 2021–22 season, HoopsHype ranked Harris as the 7th best power forward, making him one of the league's most underappreciated players. He's, however, a perfect fit for the Philadelphia 76ers who will certainly appreciate his low-maintenance playing style and unendingly amiable demeanor.
He has a routine that would make legends, and he also takes his eating habits seriously. He completely changed his eating plan in 2014, avoiding carbohydrates to increase his energy and accelerate his metabolism.
Josh Richardson
Josh Richardson was determined to make a big rebound after missing the final four games of the 2018–19 season due to a hip ailment. He worked diligently on several parts of his game throughout the 2019 off-season while also putting a strong emphasis on getting in the best form of his life.
He has a considerably fuller and more muscular body now than he did throughout his early basketball career, and has established himself as a capable scorer and an effective shooter in his early career. His new physique is both more in line with his 6'5" height and his hidden power on the court.
Wesley Matthews
Wesley Matthews, a guard with the Milwaukee Bucks, has a very impressive physique. The former NBA player believes that it is simple to train larger muscle groups, which is why he places a specific emphasis on using Pilates to strengthen his core and smaller muscle groups.
He was able to reduce the possibility of injury by utilizing Pilates to strengthen his smaller muscles to its full potential with Jessica Schatz's guidance as The Core Expert. He recovered more quickly from his Achilles injury as a result of it as well. Matthews was motivated to return stronger for the 2021–22 season after testing free agency.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The fact that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a small frame and weighed 180 pounds—the athlete with the lowest body fat among his peers—was one of his flaws during the official measures for the 2018 NBA combine. Even with his slender build, you wouldn't have guessed that his body fat level was an absurdly low 3%.
But the 6'6" player worked hard and managed to change the situation. He attributes his increase in weight to a strict 4,000-calorie regimen and a lot of time spent working out in the weight room. He was able to put on two pounds and doubled his body fat.
Chris Paul
Chris Paul acknowledges that his body has changed significantly since he initially entered the NBA. He said that having a pregame burger and fries before going out was hardly anything in his rookie year.
Paul embraced veganism in 2019 and has been eating much more clean to get a competitive advantage, enhance his performance, and enhance his physique. He claims that the usual inflammation and body aches that occur throughout an NBA season aren't as much of a problem for him now as they were in seasons past and that his numbers and performance increased the following season as well.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony, who appeared to be on the verge of being forced into early retirement at the start of the 2019–2020 NBA season, ended up playing a crucial role for one of the league's top two or three teams. Anthony generally tends to be on the bulkier side for the majority of his career, even in his prime.
Thus, it surely got many people's attention when he uploaded a shirtless selfie of himself appearing to be in arguably the best form he has been in years. His renewed commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a reflection of his increased passion for his line of work.
CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum, one of the best players in the NBA, had a sluggish beginning to his career when he first joined the league. He wasn't the tallest player on the court as a high schooler. In fact, he was actually among the smaller players standing at 5'2".
His growth spurt eventually materialized at the beginning of his junior year, growing to a height of 6'3". He developed swiftly, went on to succeed in college, and is now enjoying success as an outstanding NBA player. He has worked on his skills since being drafted and has shown significant development throughout the years.
Jayson Tatum
The improvement in Jayson Tatum since his rookie season is nothing short of remarkable. He received criticism for his thin build and light weight when he first joined the NBA for the 2017–2018 season. There was a lot on his shoulders when he joined a team at the age of 19, just after the Celtics had lost Gordon Hayward.
Tatum's debut season saw him excel despite the difficulty of the task at hand. He reportedly added 15 pounds of muscle for the 2021–2022 season to enhance his 6'10" body, making him look considerably more toned and strong than he did as a rookie.
Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray has seen significant development since the beginning of his basketball career. Despite being a 6'10" point guard in college, Murray weighed just 170 pounds. While the San Antonio Spurs guard's long limbs and thin frame served him well in his early career, he needed to put on weight and muscle to succeed in the NBA.
Things started changing in 2017 and his performance and stats improved. Murray has slowly put on roughly 10 pounds after being selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he currently allegedly weighs 180 pounds. He's also developed into a far more skilled finisher than he was when he first joined the league.
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan, a four-time NBA All-Star, was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the ninth overall choice in the 2009 NBA Draft. His first few years in the Association were actually below average as a player. He understood that in order to succeed, he would need to make significant adjustments to his meals and training, so he adhered to a rigid nutrition and training regimen.
He worked hard in practice every night, improving pretty much every element of his game to become one of the NBA's highest performers with his contentious mid-range turnarounds and fadeaways. Before he transferred to the San Antonio Spurs, he witnessed the team's five playoff runs.
Lonnie Walker
Since making his NBA debut, Lonnie Walker IV has put on a lot of strength to use his stature to the Spurs' advantage on both sides of the floor, especially for the 2020–2021 season. Even while the NBA great wasn't undersized, adding weight and developing a stockier physique gave him access to some intriguing offensive and defensive options.
He had a four-year, $12.4 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs up until the 2021–2022 NBA season. He had signed a rookie contract with the team in July 2018 and was selected by them with the 18th overall pick in the draft.
Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon entered the league with the necessary height and skill set, but he felt that he needed to put in work so as to increase his body fat. As a result, he decided to change his meal plan in order to add to his 3% body fat.
Later in 2020, when Gordon returned from the NBA lockdown in incredible shape, he stirred a contentious discussion among basketball fans and analysts. In the middle of 2020, "Air Gordon," as he is fondly called, posted pictures of his chiseled look on social media. He had built shoulders, pumped arms, and a larger upper torso.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
When Bogdan Bogdanovic first entered the league in 2017, he was the highest-paid rookie in NBA history. He signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks in November, joining their roster. The announcement generated media attention because many experts had predicted that the Serbian athlete would join the Bucks via a sign-and-trade arrangement.
He was much more than just Sacramento's starting shooting guard or the team's most adaptable player throughout his time with the Kings, he helped hold the team together as a family. He appears to have transformed considerably since the Phoenix Sun selected him as a rookie in the 2014 NBA draft.
De’Aaron Fox
De'Aaron Fox is a prime example of a young player who has transformed in the NBA is De'Aaron Fox. He was only in Kentucky for one year before being drafted in 2017, and at the combine, he weighed just 169.6 pounds, which indicated that he was extremely thin.
He has not only improved his game since then, but he has also started to put on weight. The previous two seasons, Fox entered training around the 185-pound bracket, but this past year, you could see his physique beginning to change. He has been able to add more weight to his 6'3" frame and his shoulders have grown wider.
Seth Curry
Seth Curry's only prior professional identity was that of Steph Curry's brother. But in 2016, he ultimately established himself with the Sacramento Kings after spending time with a number of different organizations in an effort to stay in the league.
Seth started to distinguish himself as an NBA player rather than just Steph's brother in the 2015–16 season, while with Sacramento. He improved his leg and core routines to maintain his NBA career longevity after overcoming ankle issues earlier in his career. He returned to top performance thanks to his revised training program and new, strong body, and was immediately hailed as one of the league's greatest players.
Mike Conley
Mike Conley was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the fourth overall choice in the 2007 NBA Draft. Conley has only been on the upswing throughout his career, despite the fact that he wasn't given many glowing reviews when he first graduated from college.
He was aware that he needed to gain weight and become a more formidable force on the defensive end if he wanted to compete against some of the bigger NBA point guards. Conley worked diligently behind the scenes to build lean muscle before the 2012–13 season began. He gained 13 pounds of muscle, and when he returned to playing, he dazzled spectators with his form.
Jordan Clarkson
The physical features and attributes of Jordan Taylor Clarkson saw a significant transformation between 2017 and 2021. The Filipino-American athlete managed to improve his form with a new fitness routine and nutrition in addition to tattooing his entire upper body.
After a run of somewhat underwhelming performances leading up to the 2019–20 season, Clarkson was motivated to go above and beyond in his quest to become a better player. By November 2020, the point guard had impressed the management enough to sign a new four-year contract with the Utah Jazz thanks to his physical improvement and being back in shape.
Blake Griffin
Even while some of the "Must See BG" appeal has started to fade, it's not due to his waning athleticism. Blake Griffin entered the league with the physique of a professional. Even with his imposing physique, he moves like a much smaller man when he sprints, jumps, and controls the ball.
Griffin has undoubtedly focused on developing his upper-body strength as a part of his game, incorporating a strict eating plan into his routine alongside his rigorous training routine. Due to his strong and muscular physique, the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year is renowned for his flawless dunks and high-flying acrobatics.
Lamar Odom
Photos of forward Lamar Odom surfaced in the summer of 2014, not long after his NBA career came to an end, showing him to be much heavier around his waistline than the athletic and svelte player he had been during his career.
Odom's propensity for consuming enormous quantities of candies and sweets is well known, despite there being suspicions that he is also addicted to other illegal substances. Odom appeared to have gained almost 50 pounds, which suggests that his eating habits got worse after he left the NBA. His difficult personal life may have something to do with the gain, according to sources.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry has made his mark by becoming the career leader in made 3-pointers, putting him without a doubt the best shooter of all time. His perseverance and commitment to his craft were the foundation of his success. Many NBA fans are constantly searching for training and diet advice to imitate him due to his remarkable physical change.
His strength in weightlifting is another intriguing aspect of him. Given, heavy lifting is discouraged for shooters since it is thought to interfere with accuracy. The fact that Curry increased his weight from 185 to 200 pounds while maintaining his title has people paying attention.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has seen a significant change since June 2007 and has wonderfully filled out to match his 6'11" height. The Washington, D.C. native's incredible physical transformation resulted from his relatively frail body in his early days being considered unfit for the NBA.
He has developed into one of the best offensive players to ever play the sport. He is a 7-foot guard who can shoot from anywhere on the court and it seems like there is almost no way to stop him. For the 2021–22 season, Durant put on even more muscle and gained 15 pounds, making him a very intimidating opponent.
Paul George
Paul George is one of the league's few outstanding two-way players and a force to reckon with on both sides of the court. He can consistently score 20 to 25 points while also neutralizing the greatest player on the opposition's side. Since he began playing in the league in 2010, the small forward selected by the Indiana Pacers in the NBA draft has experienced several changes.
He's come a long way from the lanky, scrawny young player from Palmdale, California. That guy has been replaced by a fit, 200-pound six-time member of the All-NBA Team and seven-time NBA All-Star player.
Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson, who entered the NBA as a shooter, has left no stone unturned to enhance other facets of his game. The 2016 NBA Three-Point Contest winner put in a ton of effort in the weight room and gym throughout this time to develop into one of the NBA's top all-around players.
The five-time NBA All-Star player admitted that he tries to work out four times a week when asked how he keeps his body in shape. For him, retaining strength and avoiding injuries is more important than developing a lot of strength. Thompson was raised in a sporting environment with two brothers and parents who are into sports.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler seems to become better as he gets older. The guard has transformed from being dissatisfied with prior organizations to a respectable team captain for a championship team. He performed his magic throughout the 2020–21 season, helping the Miami Heat get to the NBA Finals. The Texas native dazzled the spectators during the thrilling season with his faultless defense and mid-range shots.
Butler had some serious training routine during the 2020 hiatus, despite the fact that he has far more muscle mass now than when he first got in the league. This helped him reach 230 pounds while lowering his body fat to only 4.3%.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving, arguably the greatest ball handler of all time, is a basketball whiz. There has been no stopping him since he entered the NBA in 2017 with a bang by putting together a streak of brilliant performances to win Rookie of the Year. He also acknowledged that his 190-pound physique contained excess baby fat than he would have preferred.
As a result, he worked on it throughout the off-season, gaining five pounds of muscle while adopting a training program that worked well to burn fat. His regimen must have been effective because he has maintained top form while building a name for himself in the league.
Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is one of the NBA's best players in crucial situations. He's acquired the moniker "Logo Lillard" over the course of the last few years, and only the likes of Steph Curry, the NBA's all-time best shooter, have a range that can match his incredible range. He's risen to the top of the league thanks to his recognizable postseason game-winners.
One time in the 2010–11 collegiate basketball season, he entered rehab to allow his body to recuperate, and he used the time to transform his physique. He came back with buffed muscles and six-pack abs which helped him to dominate the opposition on the court.
Kyle Lowry
Apart from being an NBA champion and six-time All-Star, Kyle Lowry is also one of the most dependable guards of his generation. His mates' regard for him is well-deserved and speaks for itself. But it's no secret that Lowry frequently tends to let his body go, which has occasionally led to him gaining weight.
He frequently puts in significant effort to regain his game body, as was the case in 2015 when a photo of a more muscular and fitter version of the player went viral on social media. He was able to reduce his weight by an amazing 15 pounds through rigorous training, with only 4.3% body fat.
LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge's decision to retire from the league in April 2021 was upsetting for NBA fans even though he revealed that he was prioritizing his health over his career. Before ending his illustrious athletic career, the seven-time All-Star forward played his farewell game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, Aldridge played in the NBA for 15 years, playing for teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Brooklyn Nets. He was named All-NBA five times, averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while playing in the NBA, and led the Spurs and Blazers to nine postseason runs.