"It's something that works for me" - When Russell Westbrook revealed his unusual choice of pre-game meal

One look at Russell Westbrook is enough to see he's among the fittest players in the league. You'd think the 35-year-old does everything possible to maintain his top physical condition.

Well, that's not completely true, as his favorite pre-game meal tells a different story. In 2021, the nine-time All-Star revealed that he loves a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich before hitting the court.

"A peanut butter and jelly, to me, holds on to your body throughout the game—you don't feel hungry and you don't feel like you don't have enough energy. It's something that works for me," remarked Westbrook, per DCist.

Unusual pre-game meals

In recent decades, nutrition has become more important in pro sports. Essentially, the way athletes take care of their bodies—especially the food they put into them—directly impacts their performance in their respective sports.

Despite this growing emphasis, many NBA players have marched to the beat of their own culinary drum. As a result, this has led to some pretty intriguing stories.

Take Joel Embiid, for example, who once chowed down on a burger just 90 minutes before a game. Then there was the late Kobe Bryant, who fueled up on " pepperoni pizza with grape soda " the night before he scored an amazing 81 points against the Raptors. Last but not least is Hedo Turkoglu, who indulged in the same meal as Kobe. However, the European player made it a routine to do this before every single game—a bizarre habit that one of his Magic teammates accordingly described as " unheard of ."

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Performance over diet

The average American consumes about 3,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches over their lifetime. This remarkable number shows that the classic duo is not just a simple meal; for many, including Westbrook, it holds a deeper meaning.

" It creates a consistency on how your body feels, that's the most important part. At least for me, I know how my body is going to react to it, I know how much I need to eat to feel like I'm in a good position," explained the 2017 MVP.

The Thunder icon isn't the only one with that particular pre-game food choice. Kevin Garnett reportedly enjoyed the same thing, played exceptionally well, and afterward declared in the Celtics locker room, "We're going to need PB&J in here every game now."

In the end, here's the deal: as long as a player performs well on the court, they can enjoy whatever food they want. Future Hall of Famer Westbrook is a perfect example of this. Now, with the Nuggets gearing up for his 17th NBA season, the point guard has consistently proven that performance is what really matters.

Related: "Go to a nightclub" — Charlie Villanueva's epic criticism of Russell Westbrook's pre-game ritual