Top 10 Strangest All-Time Pre-Game Routines By NBA Players

The NBA is basketball’s top league in the world with the best of the best players. Every player has their own pre-game routines, which helps them get into the rhythm they need to have a dominant game. 

Some players like a certain basketball to use when they play. Others have a certain time they like to get out onto the court to shootaround on game days. 

These rituals don’t sound too far-fetched because they aren’t. But there are other players who have rituals that are strange, to say the least.

In this article, we will examine the top 10 strangest rituals of NBA players of all time.

10. LeBron James’ Chalk Toss

The LeBron James chalk toss seems normal to us now since we’ve seen him do it numerous times, but it is still a little strange when you think about it. A player taking the chalk and tossing the chalk in the air isn’t normal.

Of course, LeBron didn’t technically start the chalk toss; he got that idea from another G.O.A.T… Michael Jordan (more on that to come). The chalk LeBron uses is talcum powder, and he originally used it to keep his hands dry to be able to grip the ball better.

To toss the chalk in the air and have it dissipate may be slightly strange. Yet, it’s extremely entertaining for all to watch.

9. Michael Jordan’s Chalk Toss

Yes, Michael Jordan did perform the chalk toss before LeBron James. Why is Jordan ranked above LeBron? No, it’s not just because MJ did it first. It’s the way Jordan used to do it that puts him in the ninth spot. 

Jordan, like LeBron and other players, use talcum powder to help them grip the ball better when they play. What made Jordan’s strange, yet entertaining, was how MJ incorporated Bulls’ broadcaster Johnny “Red” Kerr into his pregame routine.

Jordan would put the chalk in his hands, and he wouldn’t toss it in the air like LeBron. Instead, MJ would smack his hands in front of Kerr and the other broadcaster, covering them in the powder.

What made Jordan’s pre-game routine more interesting was Kerr’s responses to Jordan’s tactics. Kerr would try to counter Jordan’s power toss every time with different and hilarious responses.

Sometimes Kerr would hold up a mini fan, other times, he’d wear a gas mask, and he even held up an umbrella as well. It became Kerr’s mission to make His Airness laugh, and on a few occasions, he succeeded.

8. Stephen Curry’s Tunnel Shot And Sprints

Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter the NBA has ever seen. It is fitting his pregame routine would involve shooting, but that’s not all.

Curry’s strange routine also involves running. This makes sense because Curry probably runs more in a game than any other player.

The routine Curry has starts off with him going through a shooting routine, where he starts shooting close to the hoop and continues to back up until he makes a half-court shot. After he hits his half-court shot, he shoots his way back toward the basketball, hitting every shot.

After this, Curry shoots different types of trick shots. Once Curry makes his trick shot, he shoots a shot in the tunnel. He shoots up to five shots, or until he makes one.

Once he makes his tunnel shot or attempts five shots, Curry stops to sign autographs from fans. After Curry finishes his autograph signing, the strangest part of his routine kicks in.

Curry gets down into a sprinter’s stance and runs back into the locker room. Curry calls this his “100-meter dash.”

This is a unique, strange, yet, entertaining pre-game routine from the best shooter that’s ever lived. And fans love to see it.

7. Shaquille O’Neal’s Bowling Pre-Game Routine

Shaquille O’Neal has always been one of the most loveable players in NBA history. This comes from his personality of wanting to always have fun.

You see this same energy from Shaq now as an analyst on TNT, and it truly is infectious. This was exactly what happened when Shaq arrived in Phoenix with the Suns.

Shaq’s playfulness certainly rubbed off on his teammates, especially in Shaq’s strange pre-game routine. Before each game, Shaq’s Suns’ teammates would line up like bowling pins, and Shaq would proceed to pretend to throw a bowling ball.

This was a great way for Shaq to build chemistry with his new teammates in Phoenix. Yet again, another strange but entertaining pre-game routine.

6. Dwyane Wade’s Pull-Ups

Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest shooting guards the league has ever seen. He won three NBA championships and a Finals MVP Award in 2006.

Before each game, Wade would perform a strange pre-game routine that fans from home games and away loved to watch. Wade would jump up and grab the rim.

This routine he initially got from Vince Carter (more on that later), but Wade would then perform three pull-ups. The reason Wade performed three pull-ups was to match his jersey number.

5. Vince Carter’s Kiss The Rim

Vince Carter, like Wade, would jump up and grab the rim before each game, but unlike Wade, Carter would not perform any pull-ups. Carter would gently kiss the rim before hopping down.

Okay, yes, kissing a rim, which is likely dirty, is a bit strange, but there’s a lovely reason behind why Carter does this before each game. Carter kisses the rim, and once he hits the floor, he kisses his hand and points up to the sky.

Carter does this to honor his late grandmother. She inspired him in many ways, and this was his way of saying thank you to his dear grandmother.

To be honest, this pre-game routine isn’t exactly strange. Instead, it’s extremely touching.

4. Kevin Garnett’s Head Bang

You may have possibly never seen an NBA player play the game with such emotions as Kevin Garnett. He was loud and fiery and bold. It comes as no surprise that Garnett’s pre-game routine would involve him putting all his emotions out where all could see.

Garnett heads over to the basket and stands in front of the padded stanchion. There, he adjusts his uniform, tucking his shirt into his shorts while tugging at the drawstring of his shorts.

While Garnett does this, he mumbles to himself, hyping himself up for the game. Next is what Garnett does that is considered strange yet, motivating at the same time.

Garnett bangs his head on the padded stanchion twice and slaps it hard. Yes, the stanchion is padded, as mentioned, but to purposely headbutt it twice, is a little strange.

This was who Kevin Garnett was, a fiery player. There’s no doubt Garnett’s opponents witnessed him bang his head, and they must’ve known they were going to be in for a long battle… And they would be right.

3. Monta Ellis’ Wax Hands

Monta Ellis was a great shooter in his heyday. In fact, he once shot 53.1% from the field during an entire season (2007-08). There may be a reason for his shooting success, and it is a strange one at that.

Before each game, Ellis would dunk his hands into hot wax and peel the wax off once it dries. Strange? You bet. The question now is, why would Ellis dunk his hands in hot wax?

It all started when Ellis tore a ligament in his left ring finger. He used the wax as a way to recover from the injury. This became a habit for Ellis, and he continued to use it throughout his career.

Strange? Yes. Superstitious? Most definitely. Did it help Ellis shoot the ball better? Possibly. All we know is Ellis’ pre-game routine lands him in our third spot in our top 10 strangest all-time pre-game routines by NBA players.

2. Reggie Miller’s Dance, Soda Choice, And Pre-Game Shouting Match

Reggie Miller has a strange pre-game routine, to say the least. For starters, he wears the same type of shirt, which has long sleeves with the cuffs cut off, before every game.

Miller then watches tape of his opponent while holding the remote control in the same hand at the same time. He also walks through only certain doors and hallways.

Miller runs a portable massaging device over hard surfaces in the locker room before every game. He does this to create a noise that he refers to as “a dinner bell” to inspire his teammates.

Between 30 and 40 seconds before the introductions of the players, Miller goes to midcourt, faces the opponent’s basket, dribbles between his legs until the buzzer sounds, then shoots a fadeaway three-pointer.

If Miller misses the three-pointer, he’ll shoot one more three, and if that shot misses, Miller will make a layup. Sounds exhausting? Well, Miller’s pre-game routine is not over just yet.

Around eight minutes before tip-off, Miller approaches the Pacers’ media relations director, David Benner, who gives him either a Pepsi or a Sprite. There is a reason for the soda, which is part of his strange pre-game routine.

If the Pacers lost the previous game, Miller drinks a Sprite. Then, of course, if the Pacers won the previous game, he’d drink a Pepsi.

After taking a drink, Miller then listens to Benner berate him with good-natured trash-talk. Miller responds by trash-talking in Benner’s face while wagging his finger at him as he makes jokes about Benner’s hair, clothes, and his favorite music.

It’s been said the only things Miller can’t use in his trash-talk to Benner are Benner’s wife and his dog. Also, back in the mid-1990s, Miller developed a unique handshake that led into a dance routine with teammate Haywoode Workman, which caught everyone’s attention.

So, what do you think? Is Miller’s pre-game routine a little strange? It is, but it also helped Miller to become one of the game’s greatest shooters of all time.

1. Jason Terry’s Pajamas And Pre-Game Meal

At the top spot on our list, we have Jason Terry, the former sixth man, who famously outplayed LeBron James in the 2011 NBA Finals. The reason Terry makes our number one spot is because of the lengths of his strange pre-game ritual.

For starters, on game day, prior to tipoff, Terry has a strange yet unique pregame routine. First, while getting ready for the game, Terry puts on high socks and a headband. This is to honor his father, who wore high socks and a headband when he played basketball in high school.

Next up for Terry is the ever-important pregame meal. For Terry, this meal plays a part in his pre-game routine. The meal for Terry has to be some sort of chicken.

It doesn’t matter how the chicken is made, as it varies, but Terry’s pre-game meal must incorporate chicken. Strange? Well, maybe not; chicken is delicious.

The above-mentioned rituals in Terry’s pre-game routine are not that strange, yet, this isn’t the end of his routine. Terry actually starts his routine the night before, and specifically at bedtime.

The night before each game, Terry would wear to bed the shorts of his opponents. Yes, Terry would wear his opponents’ team shorts, possibly as a way to bring himself closer to his opponent, to try and get the upper hand.

Terry’s strange routine doesn’t stop there. In the first quarter of the game, if Terry missed consecutive shots, he’d change his sneakers during the next intermission.

Yes, Terry has some strange routines in his basketball game. Even his daughters have noticed this.

“I’m a different dude,” Terry said. “My daughters say I’m a weirdo.”

Terry may have a strange pre-game routine, and he may even be a little weird, per his daughters. Still, at the end of the day, Jason Terry is an NBA champion, so his routine certainly has paid off.

There you have it, the 10 strangest pre-game routines by NBA players in the game, past or present. Do you agree with our list, or is there another player’s pre-game routine we’ve missed that deserves to be on the list?

Let us know, and maybe we’ll go back and update our list of the top 10 strangest all-time pre-game routines by NBA players.

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