Health maintenance is a crucial element for any NBA team. Short of acquiring superior players, maybe the most important piece of a championship puzzle.
Good health equals more victories.
Which is why the Dallas Mavericks have joined forces with Therabody for a multiyear agreement that will make the global wellness innovator the franchise’s Official Recovery Partner.
Creator of the popular Theragun percussive massager, Therabody has various products that will aid the Mavericks’ pursuit of peak player performance before, during and after games.
“They have a wide range of products that all center around recovery and preparation for activity,” Mavericks head athletic trainer Dionne Calhoun said. “They have their recovery compression boots that provide sequential compression that we put on players after activity to kind of help flush their legs.
“They have proven that they are committed to athletic performance and recovery.”
The Mavericks for years have been on the cutting edge of physical-wellness technology. This union will ensure that continues.
“Therabody is the industry leader in optimal recovery technology,” owner Mark Cuban said. “We’re excited to have them on our team.”
Many of Therabody’s products, such as the PowerDot electronic muscle-stimulating devices, have been used by the Mavericks and other NBA teams for years. In particular, the compression boots – pneumatic sleeves that Dirk Nowitzki used after every game late in his career – have been popular accessories in the training room for the Mavericks.
“We used them then (for Nowitzki), before they were even an official sponsor,” Calhoun said. “We’ve enjoyed their products and used them for a number of years before this official partnership.
“I’d say the majority of our team at some point in their practice, game prep or working out in the summer on their own, they will use some type of device that Therabody provides.”
Later this month, Jalen Brunson and Reggie Bullock will be featured as “faces of the Mavs” in a monthly content series showcasing Therabody products.
“The Theragun, I use for my body for my peak performance at the highest level,” Brunson said. “That’s why I dunked last night.”
The 6-1 guard referred to his first in-game dunk since he was a rookie. But in all seriousness, the Therabody arsenal of products goes beyond the Theragun massaging device, although Calhoun said that’s the product with which most people can identify.
“It’s the one that’s most visible that you’ll be able to see on benches, at practice, at the Olympics and so forth,” he said. “That kind of wakes up the muscles and increases blood flow, nerve stimulation and preps athletes before they perform.”
The partnership with Therabody is clearly a win-win. And the Mavericks are particularly intrigued about the possibilities that come with enhanced education when it comes to physical preparation, therapy and recovery. It’s something that both the performance-enhancement staff and players can take part in as the technology continues to expand in the area of total wellness for elite athletes.
“We’re really excited to continue to use their products and integrate them into what we do, as well as the educational component,” Calhoun said. “They offer continuing education units to massage therapists, athletic trainers, strength coaches.
“They offer virtual, in-person and online learning as well. It’s really cool that they offer some type of learning style that will accommodate most folks, especially in this COVID era of not being able to attend in person. You can do it in a safe environment.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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