Hey hey hey Enjoyers! We thought we’d take a break from trying to link Anthony Edwards’ ancestry back to Michael Jordan and instead share some of our favorite off-court hoops stories! Let’s get into it ⬇️

Today’s Lineup

🖌️ LaMelo’s New Ink

It’s no secret that LaMelo—or any of the Ball brothers—likes his style. As a teenager, the dude wore a grill and drove a Lamborghini and that was before the multimillion dollar NBA contract, shoe deals, and sponsorships. But with all that cash, Melo really spend his VC to upgrade his tattoo game. Take a look:

This detailed set of back tattoos took three 6-hour sessions across three days to complete, and the preparation process looked craaaazy complicated. Six artists contributed to the tats, but the main artist Herchell Carrasco has done work for Kyle Kuzma and LaMelo’s two older brothers, Lonzo and LiAngelo. Apparently the whole project cost the Hornet’s star guard around $20,000💰 

The main text reads “RARE ONE” which reminds us a bit of LeBron’s “CHOSEN 1” ink. To give credit to Melo, we can’t argue with him on this—to be a global phenomenon at age 16, top 3 pick in the NBA draft and make an All-Star game in your second season is pretty darn rare. Now we just gotta keep LaMelo healthy. And his brother too, for that matter.

🧊 The Coldest Way NBA Players Recover

The hottest trend in NBA recovery (or should we say, the coolest?), is cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy🧊 For the past decade, superstars like LeBron James and Steph Curry have been diving into icy baths to recover faster and play longer. But they aren't alone—Naomi Osaka swears by it, Kevin Hart hosts an interview show submerged in ice tubs, and J.J. Watt even cuts holes in frozen lakes for a chilly dip! 

The idea is to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, helping athletes recover quicker mid-season. For a more intense routine, some players alternate a few minutes in 39° to 42° water ❄️ with 15 minutes in an infrared sauna. The fight-or-flight response caused by the cold is actually a positive stress situation, boosting dopamine while revving up the metabolism 🧬 

We’re tentative going into a cold pool on a hot day, we can’t imagine submerging ourselves in ice-water after playing 30+ minutes against the best 🏀 athletes in the world. But hey, Klay Thompson says that plunging into cold water makes him feel present and helps him clear his mind, which lowkey sounds rejuvenating. For our wakeup call tomorrow, cold plunging could be the move 👀

Two weeks ago we talked about how Marcus Smart and Josh Hart matched their hair to their team colors and logo, but A’ja Wilson may have one-upped them! The 2x WNBA MVP dyed her hair silver to mirror the Las Vegas Aces’ new rebrand from black and gold to black and grey ⬛️ ◻️

Signing Off

Okay now we’ll stop yapping. Go Enjoy your Sunday and make it a Funday! We’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning 🫡 

-Conor Geelan