10/25/2019
I am not a registered dietician but I’m relating information readily available to any coaches or athletes willing to look for it.
When it comes to fueling the body for basketball players, we should understand that basketball is a stop-and-go sport, full of high intensity jumps, cuts, runs, etc. and the primary energy source is carbohydrates since carbs are readily available for such quick and violent bursts of movement. A higher carb diet (5-10g of carb per kg in weight) will help reduce muscular fatigue during games.
While protein is used in all bodily function, it’s important to properly fuel with carbs so that protein can be used to help recover after competition. Athletes should look for 1.4g-1.7g of protein per kg of body weight. Fats have many important roles in the body including cell membrane health, but shouldn’t make up most of your diet.
Pre-game and meals should be higher in carbs and low in fat and fiber (don’t want to have to go in the middle of a game). Post game, we need to replenish muscle glycogen and replace any proteins lost so that we can repair any muscle damage we cause during play. @ San Francisco, California