Hollis-Jefferson on playing in playoffs while observing Ramadan: 'I'll be good'
TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was quick to allay concerns over his conditioning when he starts to fast in observance of the Ramadan.
*Rondae Hollis-Jefferson says he'll be fine playing while fasting during Ramadan. (PBA Images)*
The Tropang Giga import assured that his fasting which will formally start when the Ramadan begins on March 22 and will last until April 21 will not affect his performance on the court. In fact, the former NBA player has been used to playing while also doing intermittent fasting. “I intermittently fast all the time. It’s just part of nature, we don't need as much food as people think we do. As long as you’re getting the right source of vitamins, electrolytes and things like that,” said the prolific reinforcement. “I think as a society we get caught up on ‘you need to have lunch, breakfast and dinner but that’s not the case. I’ll be good. I’ve done it for a while,” said Holli-Jefferson. TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa, while concerned about Hollis-Jefferson, believes that the veteran forward already knows how to manage his body during those situations. “He knows his body more than me and I think he’s been practicing that since he was 14 years old and he was in the NBA for a long time so I guess alam niya kung paano imanage yung katawan niya. How he would play with only water as an intake during sun up kasi sabi niya on sun down lang siya pwedeng kumain and then once a day lang,” said Lastimosa. Incidentally, Ramadan will exactly fall when the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup is already in the playoffs where tougher and more physically games await. TNT is still jockeying for the top seed and will need to win against Ginebra in its final assignment in the eliminations. Regardless of the results though, the Tropang Giga only needs one win in the quarterfinals to dispatch its opponent. “It’s tough but I’ve seen a lot of NBA players, for example Hakeem observing Ramadan back in the heydays so I think he’s fine,” said the first-year coach
*Rondae Hollis-Jefferson says he'll be fine playing while fasting during Ramadan. (PBA Images)*
The Tropang Giga import assured that his fasting which will formally start when the Ramadan begins on March 22 and will last until April 21 will not affect his performance on the court. In fact, the former NBA player has been used to playing while also doing intermittent fasting. “I intermittently fast all the time. It’s just part of nature, we don't need as much food as people think we do. As long as you’re getting the right source of vitamins, electrolytes and things like that,” said the prolific reinforcement. “I think as a society we get caught up on ‘you need to have lunch, breakfast and dinner but that’s not the case. I’ll be good. I’ve done it for a while,” said Holli-Jefferson. TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa, while concerned about Hollis-Jefferson, believes that the veteran forward already knows how to manage his body during those situations. “He knows his body more than me and I think he’s been practicing that since he was 14 years old and he was in the NBA for a long time so I guess alam niya kung paano imanage yung katawan niya. How he would play with only water as an intake during sun up kasi sabi niya on sun down lang siya pwedeng kumain and then once a day lang,” said Lastimosa. Incidentally, Ramadan will exactly fall when the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup is already in the playoffs where tougher and more physically games await. TNT is still jockeying for the top seed and will need to win against Ginebra in its final assignment in the eliminations. Regardless of the results though, the Tropang Giga only needs one win in the quarterfinals to dispatch its opponent. “It’s tough but I’ve seen a lot of NBA players, for example Hakeem observing Ramadan back in the heydays so I think he’s fine,” said the first-year coach