WASHINGTON -- At age 33, Washington Wizards big man Nene' Hilario is entering his 14th NBA season. It's no mean feat considering that the NBA is inarguably the best pro hoops league in the world, one that demands tremendous physical and mental fitness.
During the Wizards Media Day a few days ago at the Verizon center, the 6-foot-11, 250-pound mastodon told us the secret behind his NBA longevity.
The Brazilian said that lots of hard work and practice has allowed him to perform at the top level. He also practices martial arts and has embraced the Brazilian art of Jiu-Jitsu.
As an elite athletes, Nene' is keenly aware of what he eats. Like the typical Pinoy, he eats lots of rice and meat. During the summer when he doesn't play, he gets to eat the best there is, and he's adventurous enough to try other things, which makes us wonder how he would like our balut.
Anyway, Nene' thinks the best barbecue is Curacao.
With regards to hydration, Nene' imbibes a lot of liquid. "Water along with supplements specially if you are training in Denver, you don't want blood in the nose and or cramp up," he said. And during the hot summer days, he definitely enjoys ice cold lemonade
If he weren't an NBA player, Nene believes he would have been a soccer player, one who has the skills to thrive in the soccer field.
Photo: The author (L) with Wizards big man Nene during Media Day at the Verizon Center.
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