Shows
PREP Athletics Basketball PodcastTraining Kobe and Other NBA Legends feat. Former Lakers Head Strength Coach Dr. Tim DiFrancescoSummaryIn this conversation, Tim DiFrancesco, former head strength coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, shares insights and experiences from his time in the NBA. He talks about working with Kobe, Pau, Steve Nash, Metta Sandiford-Artest, and other NBA legends. He emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset and open-mindedness in achieving success. Tim discusses the challenges of building trust with players and managing different training approaches. He also highlights the significance of recovery methods, such as float tanks, and the common training mistakes basketball players make. Tim shares his favorite lifts, his favorite Lakers player...
2024-03-0446 min
The Strength Running PodcastKobe Bryant's Strength Coach Tim DiFrancesco on Injury Prevention (+ an announcement!)On the podcast with me this week to discuss strength training and durability is Dr. Tim DiFrancesco. Tim has a bachelors in Exercise Science & Athletic Training and a doctorate in Physical Therapy, and spent over 6 years as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. After leaving the NBA, Tim developed TD Athlete's Edge, a nationally renowned performance facility known for its scientific approach to training, nutrition, and recovery. He was a previous guest where we discussed how lifting can help you reach your potential as a runner, and today we...
2023-12-0752 min
The Basketball Strong Podcast#103 Mike Boyle: Strength Coaching the Aging AthleteStrength and conditioning for young pro athletes isn’t easy, but because they’re bouncy and resilient, you can experiment more to find a line of best fit. But what about when you’re training older athletes aged 35 and up, either in the general population or a pro sports setting? That’s the question legendary strength coach answers in this podcast. In this part 2, he and former Lakers S&C coach Tim DiFrancesco discuss:Why you should make a “who’s smarter than me?” list and then seek those people out to learn from them How he approached coaching vetera...
2023-09-201h 32The Basketball Strong Podcast#102 Tim Frazier - Part 3: The Ultimate Story of Setback, Comeback, and How He Finally Made the Cut in the NBA After Being Told NoTim Frazier was told he was too small and weak to play contact sports. But sibling rivalry fueled him to prove his doubters wrong and propelled him to a basketball scholarship with Penn. There, his stellar play at the point earned Tim All Big Ten honors. Yet disaster loomed, and he tore his Achilles just a few months later. Looking at the game through his coaches’ eyes, he turned a negative into a positive and worked his way back onto the court with courage and determination.In his senior year, Tim’s pure point guard skills and impr...
2023-09-1349 minThe Basketball Strong Podcast#101 Tim Frazier - Part 2: The Ultimate Story of Setback, Comeback, and How He Finally Made the Cut in the NBA After Being Told NoTim Frazier was told he was too small and weak to play contact sports. But sibling rivalry fueled him to prove his doubters wrong and propelled him to a basketball scholarship with Penn. There, his stellar play at the point earned Tim All Big Ten honors. Yet disaster loomed, and he tore his Achilles just a few months later. Looking at the game through his coaches’ eyes, he turned a negative into a positive and worked his way back onto the court with courage and determination.In his senior year, Tim’s pure point guard skills and impr...
2023-09-061h 02The Basketball Strong Podcast#100 Tim Frazier - Part 1: The Ultimate Story of Setback, Comeback, and How He Finally Made the Cut in the NBA After Being Told NoTim Frazier was told he was too small and weak to play contact sports. But sibling rivalry fueled him to prove his doubters wrong and propelled him to a basketball scholarship with Penn. There, his stellar play at the point earned Tim All Big Ten honors. Yet disaster loomed, and he tore his Achilles just a few months later. Looking at the game through his coaches’ eyes, he turned a negative into a positive and worked his way back onto the court with courage and determination.In his senior year, Tim’s pure point guard skills and impr...
2023-08-301h 06The Basketball Strong Podcast#99 Gray Cook - Part 2: Technology & Athlete Monitoring, How to Train Balance Better, Nutrition & Injury Rehab, Training Plyometrics in Young AthletesAx throwing. Log balancing. Carrying kettlebells through the forest. Standup paddling. Visitors to Gray Cook’s lake cabin invariably do some activities that might seem unconventional at first but actually train every major movement pattern and then some. Gray applies a similar real-world lens to the movement and function assessments that he co-created for athletes, including the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Functional Capacity Screen (FCS) and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). When Basketball Strong co-host Tim DiFrancesco was the S&C coach for the Lakers, he used these screens to identify the gaps in their movement literacy so...
2023-08-2354 minThe Basketball Strong Podcast#98 Gray Cook - Part 1: Helping Basketball Players Move More Sustainably, Better Ways to Build Power, Strength, and Balance, and John Wooden’s Wisdom about Basketball ConditioningAx throwing. Log balancing. Carrying kettlebells through the forest. Standup paddling. Visitors to Gray Cook’s lake cabin invariably do some activities that might seem unconventional at first but actually train every major movement pattern and then some. Gray applies a similar real-world lens to the movement and function assessments that he co-created for athletes, including the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Functional Capacity Screen (FCS) and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). When Basketball Strong co-host Tim Francesco was the S&C coach for the Lakers, he used these screens to identify the gaps in their movement literacy so...
2023-08-161h 01The Basketball Strong PodcastChris Leazier: From Coaching in High School to the Olympics and Back, Lessons from a Basketball Nomad, and Why the Game Belongs to the PlayersChris Leazier refers to himself as a basketball nomad. He grew up glued to Indiana University games back when Bobby Knight was patrolling the sidelines and winning more championships than he threw chairs. Though a good player, Chris decided in high school that he’d have a greater impact with a whistle around his neck. One of his first stops was Thetford Academy, where he coached Basketball Strong co-host Tim DiFrancesco (TD). After spending seven years as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College, Chris was at the helm of Saint Anselm College’s women’s basketball for two years...
2023-04-191h 45The Basketball Strong PodcastPhil Beckner: Coaching NBA All-Star Damian Lillard and the True Meaning of Be Better, Be DifferentGrowing up in a broken home, Phil Beckner watched his mom walk to work at a gas station, and later clean houses after long shifts at a truck stop. So when it came to putting in the effort to earn good grades or a basketball roster spot at Kansas Wesleyan University, he had a higher standard to aim for. When he graduated, Phil applied his gift for getting the best out of others to coaching, with roles at Weber State, the Oklahoma City Blue (the Thunder's D-League affiliate), and Nebraska.After two years as a...
2023-04-051h 10The Basketball Strong PodcastMike Boyle: Fixing NBA & Youth Basketball Injury Issues with 2 Strength Workouts a WeekStan Van Gundy recently tweeted about how injuries and games missed are way up despite NBA load management and teams having bigger medical and performance staffs. Basketball Strong co-host and former Lakers S&C coach Tim DiFrancesco (@tdathletesedge) replied that SVG is right, but 80s and 90s players didn’t grow up playing year-round AAU and spending off court time on their phones or with skills trainers, which affects durability. Veteran strength coach Mike Boyle responded: “Too many games too early. The mileage on these guys is way up by the time they get to the professional level. Plus...
2023-03-151h 27The Basketball Strong PodcastT.J. McConnell: Kicking Down the Door to an NBA Roster SpotAnyone who loves basketball in the Pittsburgh area knows T.J. McConnell’s family name. Whether it’s his father Tim, who racked up 662 wins at Chartiers Valley, his aunt Suzie who played in two Olympics and was WNBA Coach of the Year, or another aunt and uncle who’ve coached at the college level, the McConnells are legendary in Pennsylvania hoops. So it’s no surprise that T.J.’s ended up on the court at a young age.But as a 5-foot-5 freshman, there didn’t seem to be a path to a major coll...
2023-03-0859 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastSean Light: Rolling with Brandon Ingram, Randy Johnson’s Championship Ring, and Rewiring Your Brain for High PerformanceIn practice, Sean Light could often make every free throw. So why was it that in college basketball games he felt frozen at the line, while his brother could pitch 102 miles an hour at Fenway Park with no problem? It was questions like this that Sean sought to answer as he served as a strength coach with the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks.As he observed minor leaguers over the long, 162-game season, there were a lot of counterintuitive patterns, like nonchalant players making it to the majors while hard workers struggled. It...
2023-03-011h 21The Basketball Strong PodcastHow Kobe Bryant Got Off the Madison Square Garden Locker Room Floor to Play the KnicksDuring his six seasons with the Lakers, Tim DiFrancesco (TD) saw first-hand how Kobe Bryant pushed through pain and injury to give his all to the game he loved. In one memorable moment, Mamba cemented his Madison Square Garden legacy by overcoming severe low-back tightness to somehow take the hallowed floor and put on another classic performance against the New York Knicks. In this episode, TD shares: What Kobe did before each game to get his aging body game readyWhy he was on the floor of the visitors’ lock...
2022-12-2817 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastBen Bruno: Offseason Training for NBA Players, Programming for Tall Athletes, His Stance on Olympic Lifting with NBA Athletes, and Developing a Training PhilosophyWhen Ben Bruno was struggling to recover from back surgery, he worried that he might never be pain free again. A doctor’s back pain boot camp not only put him on the fast track to a full recovery, but also demonstrated the power of lifting weights and showed the importance of a winning mindset. Determined to learn everything he could about training, Ben went into a self-described “meathead” phase and applied for an internship with legendary coaches Mike Boyle and Steve Bunker. Ben was surprised when his overdue application got accepte...
2022-10-121h 35The Basketball Strong PodcastJoe Mantegna: Putting Cause Above Self on the Court, Mentoring Young Players Through Personal Tragedy, and Continuing his Father's High School Coaching LegacyAs a player, Joe Mantegna says he was the college basketball equivalent of Rudy. But even before his playing days at Ithaca College were over, the coaching seeds sown by his father, who’s in the Massachusetts Basketball Hall of Fame, had begun to germinate, and he soon found himself on the sidelines at Boston University and Lehigh University. But when he came to a fork in the road, he decided that he wanted to have the same kind of impact on teenagers’ lives as his dad had, and so took the head coaching job at Blair Academy.
2022-10-051h 41The Basketball Strong PodcastZeshaun Mirza: From Paratrooper to Coaching in China to Training Devin BookerWhen someone has been an athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach in the NBA, D-League (now the G League) and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), you might assume they’ve worked in basketball forever. But in Zeshaun Mirza’s case, his professional journey began by jumping out of a plane. Signing up for the US Army out of high school, Zeshaun took an extra $300 a month to become a paratrooper attached to an artillery unit. Transport aircraft would drop two-ton howitzer guns and he'd parachute out to work on the trucks that pulled them.Af...
2022-09-281h 33The Basketball Strong PodcastDan Garner: How Nutrition Helps Basketball Players Overcome Performance Plateaus and Become Beasts on the CourtWhen NBA players want to extend their careers, they come to Dan Garner. He also works with athletes in professional hockey, MMA, and football, using a comprehensive testing system to gain a full, 360-degree physiological footprint for each individual. Once the lab results are in, Dan and his business partner, Cal State Fullerton muscle physiologist Dr. Andy Galpin, create a full nutrition, training, and lifestyle blueprint. Dan also shares the insights gleaned from working with the pros with competitive and amateur athletes in all walks of life. While nutrition is the focal point of h...
2022-09-211h 14The Basketball Strong PodcastKeith D’Amelio: Inside the Raptors Locker Room After Kobe’s 81 Points, Getting NBA Veterans to Buy In & Why Sports Tech Will Never Replace Human ExpertsIn basketball as in life it pays to be both lucky and good. When he was studying for an exercise science degree at ASU, one of Keith D’Amelio’s professors assigned him an interview with an expert in human performance. Keith selected a member of the Phoenix Suns performance staff, who agreed to give him an internship the next school year if he could gain some basketball experience in the meantime. So Keith talked his way into working the summer league for the Boston Celtics. When he reconnected with the Suns in the fall, the internship was gone...
2022-09-141h 05The Basketball Strong PodcastKasey Jo Orvidas: How to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs, Fuel Basketball Performance with Nutrition, and Use Performance Psychology to Groove Positive HabitsKasey Jo Orvidas holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a certified health and fitness coach, with her expertise being in mindset and health behavior change. She has transformed hundreds of lives (and minds) in her coaching career, while also being published in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals for her research exploring the relationship between our mindset and our health and fitness behaviors.Kasey Jo places a strong emphasis on the importance of not just what we say to our clients, but how – and uses her unique background to efficiently and effectively communicate with cl...
2022-09-0750 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastPaul Westhead: Playing Magic Johnson at Center, The Legacy of Hank Gathers, and the Impact of The Speed GameSometimes coaches dream up the best basketball schemes in the most unlikely locations, like when Steve Kerr and Bruce Fraser plotted out the Golden State Warriors’ motion-driven system at an airport wine bar. In the case of Paul Westhead’s speed game - a devastating combo of continual fast break offense and pressing defense - it all came together when he coached Puerto Rico players during summers off from his main role at LaSalle University in the 70s. Westhead was later named head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after his friend Jack McKin...
2022-08-311h 08The Basketball Strong PodcastTyler Leclerc: Burning the Boats for Basketball Training, Buying his Own Gym During COVID, and Helping Young Players Read the GameTyler Leclerc still vividly remembers the day he decided to drop out of college to pursue basketball training. He was listening to a business professor who hadn’t ever run a company and realized that he could learn everything he needed in the real world. So he walked away from school and went all-in. An internship with Drew Hanlen and hours of diligent study, while working at a golf course, helped Tyler develop his own unique methodology. At the same time, he continued training young players, as he had been since he was a junior in high school.
2022-08-241h 15The Basketball Strong PodcastThe Curious Case of Scott Wedman & His Revolutionary Nutrition & Wellness WaysIn the 1980s, it was the Boston Celtics who ruled the East, with a combination of front-line toughness and the unparalleled skill of Larry Bird. When Bill Walton joined the team and was finally able to put in a full injury-free season, Bird, McHale, and co made it to the top of the NBA mountain one last time. Dan Shaughnessy chronicled this era in his fascinating book Wish It Lasted Forever. Be sure to go back and listen to episode 36 for the full story from Dan about those elite Celtics teams, Larry Bird, and that era. This e...
2022-08-1715 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastTD Sounds Off on Off-Season Nutrition Keys for BasketballOne of the roles TD played while the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with the LA Lakers was to help guide players on nutrition practices. As TD has always said, "you can't out-train a bad diet". This is especially true in the off-season when players can find themselves spending 3-5 hours per day between on-court skill sessions, summer league games, weight room sessions, and supplemental conditioning. This episode is a mid-summer break from the guest episodes as Phil and Tim do some travel, but in under 25 minutes, TD shares his top 3 off-season nutrition tips. The off-season is where y...
2022-08-1022 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastSports Psychologist Peter Olusoga on the Dark Side of the Mamba Mentality and Why Athletes & Coaches BurnoutWhen Tim DiFrancesco was the S&C coach for the Lakers, he got to see Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality firsthand. Before facing the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Kobe was so tight that TD and the training staff could barely get him off the floor of the visitors’ locker room. Yet somehow he willed himself to push through his pain, get out in the layup line, and put up the kind of offensive games MSG fans had to come to expect from the five-time NBA champ. After TD shared this story on Twitter, British sport...
2022-08-0355 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastTony Dorado: What It Takes to Maximize Your Basketball Talents and How He Tried to Stop Jason Kidd's All-World Defense from Shutting his Team DownWhen Tony Dorado was growing up, his father - a first-generation immigrant from Mexico - loved all sports. This wasn’t lost on Tony or his older brothers, all of whom excelled on the court and the field. But Tony’s first sporting love was always basketball, so much so that he decided when he was in his early teens that he would one day become a coach. Today, most people know Tony as Nike's worldwide director of high school basketball. But long before he joined Phil Knight’s company, Tony was living out his dream while he jugg...
2022-07-2756 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastHannah O’Flynn: Elevating Women’s Basketball at espnW, Taking Creative Risks, and Pursuing her Passion for Sports, Music, and VideoGrowing up in a house with competitive sisters and parents who were both sporty and creative, perhaps it’s no surprise that Hannah O’Flynn excelled on the basketball court, the track, and the soccer field. Showing that she wouldn’t back down from the boys, either, Hannah mixed it up in recess football games and played on both men’s and women’s middle school teams. She then went from idolizing the girls on the high school varsity squad to being one of them, learning how to win in basketball and life from her coach Mandy Zegarowki and Mandy’s hu...
2022-07-2054 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastMitch Kupchak: Basketball and Life Lessons from Dean Smith and Jerry West, Memories from Kobe Bryant's pre-Draft Workouts, and Becoming an NBA ExecutiveMitch Kupchak grew up in a different America with parents whose upbringing in the Great Depression instilled a strong work ethic but left little time for sports. But as Mitch grew into his 6-foot-10 frame, it soon became apparent that he was destined for something special on the hardwood. As his skills caught up with his size, several college coaches came calling, and it was a simple, honest pitch from Dean Smith that convinced the young man to attend the University of North Carolina. Once at Chapel Hill, Mitch was molded into the man he became by a...
2022-07-131h 13The Basketball Strong PodcastGabe DenBraber: From Spina Bifida Diagnosis to Team USA Wheelchair Basketball CaptainWhen he was 11 years old, Gabe DenBraber’s parents revealed some stunning news: he couldn’t play able-bodied sports anymore. Gabe was born with spina bifida, but played baseball for years. Then came two surgeries that compromised the use of his legs and with it, words that every parent would dread saying. Gabe grieved the loss of the game he loved and questioned his faith, but one day his Dad had an idea that would change everything: why not try wheelchair basketball. Quickly learning the sport, Gabe gained confidence as his skills improved. He also...
2022-07-061h 13The Basketball Strong PodcastDanielle Viglione: Breaking Cheryl Miller’s Scoring Records, Playing for Hall of Famer Jody Conradt, and Combining Coaching and FaithWhen Danielle Viglione was 11, she boldly told her parents that she was going to run a marathon. They compromised on a half-marathon and were surprised when their determined daughter not only finished the 13.1-mile course, but crossed the line in second place. This was just one indicator of the fierce competitor that Danielle was becoming. It became even more apparent when she shattered California state and national basketball scoring records, including several set by the legendary Cheryl Miller. Part of Danielle’s scoring prowess came from her embracing the three-pointer long before it became so popular, once hit...
2022-06-2959 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastDavid Hollander: How Basketball Can Save the WorldDavid Hollander’s love of basketball began when his father put up a hoop and poured a 12x12-foot blacktop court in the family’s backyard. It immediately became his sanctuary and sowed a seed that would eventually lead David to shape a new generation. While his brother was a high school record-setter, David jokes that the only high mark he set was in technical fouls. But he maintained a passion for the game and his stellar grades led him to law school. From there came a winding path through marketing, music, and film. David started interviewing athle...
2022-06-2258 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastHow Kobe Bryant Played on a Sprained Ankle to Help the Lakers Win the 2000 NBA Title (with Gary Vitti)In the late 90s and early 2000s, the LA Lakers looked like the heir apparent to Michael Jordan’s throne, with Shaq dominating in the post and Kobe Bryant coming into his own as the league’s emerging superstar. And when Jordan’s coach Phil Jackson took over, the final piece of the championship puzzle seemed to be in place. But in game 2 of the 2000 Finals, the Laker’s title run was jeopardized when Kobe went down with a severe ankle sprain. Somehow, Lakers head athletic trainer Gary Vitti and his team got Bryant back on the floor for...
2022-06-1550 min
The Allistair McCaw PodcastTim DiFrancesco - Former LA Lakers S&C CoachIn this episode, Allistair gets to chat with former LA Lakers S&C Coach, Tim DiFrancesco. Tim spent between 2011-2017 with one of the most successful NBA franchises. During his time there he got to work with players such as Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. In this episode, Allistair asks Tim about Kobe's leadership style, his relentless work ethic and much more. He also shares his experiences working for the LA Lakers.
2022-06-1454 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastThe Bitch is Back: Legendary NBA Playoff Trash-Talk Between the 80s Celtics & KnicksIn the 1980s the Boston Celtics ruled the East, with a combination of front-line toughness and the unparalleled skill of Larry Bird. When Bill Walton joined the team and was finally able to put in a full injury-free season, Bird, McHale, and co made it to the top of the NBA mountain one last time. Dan Shaughnessy chronicled this era in his fascinating book Wish It Lasted Forever. In this mini-pod episode, Dan shares a story titled The Bitch is Back about the heated playoff banter between Bernard King and the great trash-talker, Cedric Maxwell. Re...
2022-06-0804 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastTyler Ennis: Battling Back from a Severe Leg Fracture and Achilles Tears, Taking Night School with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Learning to Play the Point from Jason KiddWhen people talk about Canadian basketball players, they usually think of Steve Nash and Andrew Wiggins first. But there’s a new breed of ballers from the Great White North, and Tyler Ennis is one of the best. His father, Tony, is a legendary coach who basically invented AAU-style travel ball north of the border. Tyler’s parents moved the family south to St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey so that their son would have a better chance of landing a Division 1 college scholarship. As a standout guard, the five-star recruit did just that, getting a ful...
2022-06-011h 23The Basketball Strong PodcastSteve Blake: Why He Clicked with Kobe, Leading By Example, and Getting Coached Hard By His Dad, Frank Martin, & Gary WilliamsIt can be tough for a coach to yell at you, and in our current culture, parents can get involved to try and tone things down a bit. But from his earliest days learning the game from his father all the way to the NBA, Steve Blake learned how to play the point guard position right by learning lessons in toughness and resilience from old school coaches who weren’t afraid to yell when necessary. A precocious high school talent, Steve won a state championship at Miami High with Udonis Haslem, the iron man who is currently the...
2022-05-181h 10The Basketball Strong PodcastDr. Michelle Boland: 6 X-Factors for Preparing Basketball Players to Be More Athletic & HealthierTo excel on the court, basketball players need to master individual skills like shooting, ball handling, and rebounding, as well as how to play offense and defense as a team. But to handle the demands of contact with opponents, jumping and landing, accelerating and decelerating, and changing direction, they need to bulletproof their bodies off the court. Recently, Basketball Strong co-host/former Lakers strength coach Tim DiFrancesco and S&C coach Michelle Boland had a great conversation about the nuances of preparing basketball players to be durable and maximize their athleticism sustainably. In this episode, Michelle and T...
2022-05-1648 min
Well Aware Podcast- Your One Stop Shop for All Things Wellness!Well Aware S4E2: Dr. Tim DiFrancescoYou are an ATHLETE! Don’t believe me? Then you need to listen to this latest episode of The Well Aware Podcast where Andi speaks with Dr. Tim DiFrancesco; former Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers….YES, that LA Lakers!!.... and the founder of TD Athletes Edge, a Strength & Conditioning facility focused on performance-based training, nutrition and recovery for athletes of all levels!! Tim and Andi discuss how the methods he used to train the elite Basketball players of the NBA, can be applied to YOU. Tim is one of the hosts of THE BASKETBALL STRONG PODC...
2022-05-1139 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastChris Herring and Dan Shaughnessy: Pat Riley’s Punishing Practices, the Basketball Symphony of Bill Walton and Larry Bird, and the Toughness of the 80s Celtics and 90s KnicksWhat would happen if a current NBA coach ran players until they threw up or fell over in pre-season training camp? How would today’s All-Stars react to a “no layups” policy that left them on the ground during drills? There’d be big trouble now, but back in the 90s, Pat Riley made New York Knicks practices look like Navy SEAL Hell Week, and opponents feared playing in Madison Square Garden. This toughness is not only traced back to Riley’s upbringing in gritty Schenectady, but also to his own playing days for Kentucky and in the NBA. Th...
2022-05-111h 08The Basketball Strong PodcastBen Simmons’s Back Surgery (microdiscectomy) with Dr. Dan KharraziBrooklyn Nets fans hoped to see recently acquired stopper Ben Simmons provide a similar level of defense in their series against the Boston Celtics. Not only was he unable to play, but Simmons also needed microdiscetomy surgery to treat a herniated disc. We brought back former Lakers team physician and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Dan Kharrazi. On this episode, Dr. Kharrazi shared: Why Simmons needed surgery and what it involvedThe return to play timeline and prognosis for a microdiscectomy back surgeryHow the mileage on young pro players can change their disc structureWhat role core strengthening and...
2022-05-1020 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastPaul Fabritz (Part 2): The Keys To Injury Risk Reduction & Load Management Without Fancy Technology, The 3 Strategies Paul Used to Boost His Own Vertical Jump from 32” - 47”, and How He Became James Harden’s Personal Strength CoachGrowing up in Flagstaff, Arizona, Paul Fabritiz followed the example of his older volleyball-playing sister to increase his vertical jump. He also worked on his shooting and skills and became a college-level player. But every season, he seemed to suffer a major injury to his hands, wrists, or feet, and after playing at Mesa Community College and Northern Arizona University, Paul decided to focus his efforts on coaching. This led to him earning a degree in exercise and wellness. During his final year at Arizona State University, Paul hustled to build his nascent coaching business using an e...
2022-05-0949 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastJoel Embiid’s Hand & Face Injuries with Former Lakers Physician Dr. Daniel KharraziIn another neck-and-neck NBA MVP race, Joel Embiid matched the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic every step of the way. And with James Harden coming to the 76ers in a late-season Ben Simmons trade, Philly’s fans had every reason to hope that this squad could take them back to the Allen Iverson and Dr. J glory days. But then Embiid suffered what is likely a torn UCL in his hand/thumb and took a Pascal Siakam elbow to his eye, fracturing an orbital bone and giving him a mild concussion. Even though the Sixers made it past the Toronto Rapt...
2022-05-0625 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastPaul Fabritz (Part 1): How He Went From An Injured & Overlooked Player To Doing Windmill Dunks, Becoming One Of The Premier NBA Player Trainers In The World, Why Young Players Today Are Getting Injured At Alarming Rates & What We Can Do About ItGrowing up in Flagstaff, Arizona, Paul Fabritiz followed the example of his older volleyball-playing sister to increase his vertical jump. He also worked on his shooting and skills and became a college-level player. But every season, he seemed to suffer a major injury to his hands, wrists, or feet, and after playing at Mesa Community College and Northern Arizona University, Paul decided to focus his efforts on coaching. This led to him earning a degree in exercise and wellness. During his final year at Arizona State University, Paul hustled to build his nascent coaching business using an e...
2022-05-0444 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastBreaking Down Marcus Smart’s Neck Stinger and Quad Contusion Against the BucksSince starring for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Marcus Smart has made a name for himself as a rugged defender capable of guarding all five positions, a capable ball handler, and a reliable shooter. During the Boston Celtics’ sweep of the New Jersey Nets, Smart showed his Defensive Player of the Year chops, shutting down Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during key stretches. But in the first game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Smart was in the locker room with a neck stinger. After returning to the court, he suffered two impacts to his quad, leading to a questionable status for ga...
2022-05-0422 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastWhy Do NBA Players Get Hurt During the Playoffs and How Can Anyone Improve their Durability?We’ve already seen multiple All-Stars and key role players go down in the NBA Playoffs. You might be wondering why seemingly indestructible athletes in their prime are getting hurt at this pivotal time in the pro basketball calendar, whether injury rates are higher now than back in the day, and what can be done to minimize the chances of getting hurt.In which case, you’ll enjoy this episode, as former Lakers S+C coach Tim DiFrancesco gives an insider’s view into: Why consistently loading muscles and connective tissues with resistance training keeps them resilie...
2022-05-0216 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastNBA Injury Report - Playoff Edition: Joel Embiid (thumb), Khris Middleton (MCL), Devin Booker (hamstring) & Fred VanVleet (hip flexor).The NBA playoffs are in full swing, but unfortunately for several teams, their chances of progressing have taken a hit. In this injury roundup, former Lakers S&C coach Tim DiFrancesco (TD) zeroes in on Devin Booker’s hamstring strain, Fred VanVleet’s hip flexor strain, Joel Embiid’s thumb ligament tear, and Khris Middleton’s MCL sprain. Listen as TD shares: How Embiid’s UCL tear might affect his gameWhat role Booker’s injury history plays in his latest hamstring issueWhy Khris Middleton’s return to play timeline is uncertainWhat Raptors fans can expect to see with VanVleet...
2022-04-2940 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastByron Scott (Part 2): Mentoring a Young Kobe, Transitioning from Player to Coach, and the Hall of Fame Coaches Who Molded HimA lot of basketball legends are either great players or coaches. But Byron Scott is one of the few who can legitimately claim to be both (though he’s too humble to say so). As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime dynasty, Byron won three NBA championships. He also lost a few bitterly contested Finals showdowns with the Lakers’ arch-nemesis: the Boston Celtics. Once he moved from the hardwood to the bench, Byron quickly asserted his strong values and coaching principles, leading the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals and earning Coach of the Year ho...
2022-04-2736 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastCrazy Frank: the NBA’s Most Secretive Trainer (Part 1)In Part 1, Dan Grunfeld (Ep. 17) talks about his experience training with Crazy Frank while playing at Stanford. In this episode, Dan shares:How Frank had him sprinting up sand hills + carrying buckets of sandHow the physical training was extreme but how Frank always knew when to pull you backHow Dan took Frank’s mantra “your mind will always give out before your body” to heartWhat it means to have a coach pushing you at the highest levelWhy knowing that you outworked everyone else during the off-season gives you more than a physical edge
2022-04-2510 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastLarry Nance Jr: How Hustle and Hard Work Earned Him NBA Minutes, What Battling Crohn's Disease Has Taught Him, and How We Went from High School JV to D1 BasketballFew families can boast of one person competing in the NBA Dunk Contest, but the Nances have two: Larry Nance Sr beat Dr. J in 1984, and his son, Larry Nance Jr finished second in 2018. The latter currently plies his basketball trade for the New Orleans Pelicans after they acquired him from the Portland Trailblazers just before the trade deadline in February 2022. Beforehand, the Cavs had inked Larry to a four-year, $44.8 million contract. Previously, Nance played for three and half seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, who selected him with the 27th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. He e...
2022-04-201h 19The Basketball Strong PodcastThe Rundown on Robert Williams III and Lonzo Ball’s Meniscus InjuriesIn the past few weeks, the Boston Celtics have soared up the Eastern Conference rankings, securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. But their championship dreams are limited by whether versatile big man Robert Williams III comes back from a partially torn meniscus. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls announced that guard Lonzo Ball had been ruled out for the rest of the season after a complication In his rehab from meniscus surgery. In this episode, former Lakers S+C coach Tim DiFrancesco (TD) breaks down:What exactly happened to the meniscus of Robert Wi...
2022-04-1835 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastLuka Doncic’s Calf Strain and How it Impacts the Dallas Mavericks’ Playoff ChancesThe Dallas Mavericks’ All-Star Luka Doncic was putting up MVP-like numbers in the final few weeks of the regular season. But then in the final game against the San Antonio Spurs, he went down with what has been confirmed to be a calf strain. Now the Mavs face a worrying wait ahead of their first-round matchup in the Western Conference playoffs against Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz.bIn this episode, former Lakers strength coach Tim DiFrancesco breaks down:Which muscles make up the calfHow calf strains are graded and the return-to-play timeline fo...
2022-04-1432 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastChris Chase: Living in a Truck Bed Camper, Finding Quarters for Food, and Being Brutally Honest about the Best and Worst Basketball Shoes on WeartestersA lot of shoe reviewers (aka shoetubers) these days get free pairs of all the latest kicks. But growing up in the Bay Area, Chris Chase was mocked on the blacktop for having $40 Payless shoes. This hurt but paled in comparison to the other challenges Chris faced daily in a single-parent home where times were tough, dinner was often pasta and ketchup, and substance abuse sometimes forced him to live with relatives. Fascinated by action figures and comic books at first, Chris soon became captivated by kicks and was eventually gifted a pair of iconic Air Jordan X...
2022-04-131h 50The Basketball Strong PodcastHow Metta World Peace and Steve Blake Christened Me Into the Lakers Family on the Celtics LeprechaunBasketball Strong Podcast co-host Tim DiFrancesco (TD) started his pro basketball career with the Bakersfield Jam in the NBA D-League. He was then recruited to become the strength and conditioning coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent six seasons, including Kobe Bryant’s final four years in the league. Even when the ink is dry on someone’s new contract, they don’t become a true part of their new team until the players fully embrace them. In this episode, TD tells the hilarious story of how this happened with the Lakers squad before a game with th...
2022-04-1122 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastComparing LeBron James and Evan Mobley’s Ankle Sprains & What They Mean for the Lakers and Cavs’ SeasonsLeBron James is having yet another stellar season for the Lakers, leading the NBA in scoring at 30.3 points per game, along with 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists. But after missing time with knee and abdominal issues earlier in the year, he is now out with an ankle sprain. A star in the making at the other end of his career, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ sensational Evan Mobley is a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. But when he came down on the foot of the Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner, Evan suffered a similar injury to LeBron and is now stuck on the...
2022-04-0732 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastByron Scott (Part 1): Leadership Lessons from the Showtime Lakers, How A Near Miss with Murder Led his Father to Faith, and His Favorite Michael Jordan StoryA lot of basketball legends are either great players or coaches. But Byron Scott is one of the few who can legitimately claim to be both (though he’s too humble to say so). As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime dynasty, Byron won three NBA championships. He also lost a few bitterly contested Finals showdowns with the Lakers’ arch-nemesis: the Boston Celtics. Once he moved from the hardwood to the bench, Byron quickly asserted his strong values and coaching principles, leading the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals and earning Coach of the Year ho...
2022-04-0657 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastZion Williamson’s Injury Pattern and Why He Missed the Entire NBA SeasonSince he first burst onto the basketball scene via jaw-dropping YouTube highlight reels as a teenager, the hoops world has been captivated by Zion’s hops, power, and charisma. When he was recruited by Coach K for a one-and-done season at Duke, everyone realized that the hype was real and Zion was destined for superstardom on the hardwood. This was confirmed when the New Orleans Pelicans selected the manchild with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. But as fast as Zion’s rise has been, it has also been maligned by injuries - to his knees when he i...
2022-04-0441 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastBehind The Scenes & What It Takes to Win At The Final Four with Villanova Strength Coach John ShackletonWhen the Villanova Wildcats square off against the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2022 Final Four in front of thousands of fans in the stands and millions watching on TV, all eyes will be on star players Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore and head coach Jay Wright. Yet behind the scenes, there’s a world-class group of professionals getting the players ready to give their best as they chase a national championship. And the role of longtime performance coach John Shackleton is vital. Joining us live from New Orleans just hours before tipoff, John (aka Shack) shares:Why bei...
2022-04-0223 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastDan Grunfeld: Surviving the Holocaust, Overcoming Hate with Grace and Forgiveness, and Using Basketball as a Path to GreatnessWhen Dan Grunfeld’s grandmother was a teenager, “Life was nothing more than a loving family, a tall tree, and an endless supply of sweet, juicy cherries.” But in an instant, the Nazis overran Europe and murdered her parents and five siblings in the Holocaust. Somehow Anyu and a sister survived the liquidation of the Budapest ghetto and after she married another Holocaust survivor, they escaped the Communist rule that dominated Eastern Europe after the war and emigrated to New York City. Dan’s father, Ernie, was bullied because he couldn’t speak English and lost his beloved old...
2022-03-301h 36
Move Without Limits5| Dr. Tim DiFrancesco: DPT but Call Him "Coach" & Lessons from High Performing AthletesDo you introduce yourself as Coach or Clinician? Dr. Tim DiFrancesco is a Doctor of Physical Therapy that prefers "Coach". Whether working with a high performing athlete or an everyday person who needs help and reassurance- listen to learn why the "Coach" title helps Tim empower people most. Doctor Tim DiFrancesco is the President & Founder of TD Athletes Edge. He graduated from Endicott College in 2003 with his B.S. in Exercise Science & Athletic Training. He went on to the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2006. Upon graduation, Tim spent 3 years w...
2022-03-2947 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastWhat Damian Lillard and LeBron James’s Injuries Tell us About Avoiding Sports Hernias and Ab Strains, and How to Train Your Core More Safely and EffectivelyAfter struggling with an abdominal injury since before he helped Team USA win gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Damian Lillard had season-ending surgery. LeBron James has missed multiple games with an ab strain this season, and other players have battled sports hernias. We all know that you need a strong core in basketball to transfer power from your lower body and preserve stability during contact, but these types of injuries seem to be increasingly common in the pros and even among college and high school players. While with the Lakers, Basketball Strong co-host saw first-hand how to r...
2022-03-2835 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastDrew Hanlen: What it Means to Live a Mission-Driven Life, How he Started Coaching Bradley Beal While Still in High School, and Why Skills Training is Vital to Basketball SuccessDrew Hanlen is a basketball skills coach and consultant who counts NBA stars Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, Zach LaVine, Kelly Oubre Jr, Jordan Clarkson, RJ Barrett & more as full-time clients. He also trains and consults with multiple NBA elite collegiate basketball players, and conducts team workouts and clinics all over the world as CEO of Pure Sweat Basketball.His goal is to help players and coaches maximize their basketball potential by providing the latest skill development info, teaching points, and drills. To further this aim, Drew launched the Pure Sweat Basketball Workouts app, which has...
2022-03-231h 08The Basketball Strong PodcastBen Simmons’s Return to Play Process and Reducing Your Own Injury Risk with Acute-to-Chronic Load BalancingWhen the Brooklyn Nets traded for Ben Simmons, many fans expected to see the big, All-Defense Australian guard on the court right away, as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and co made their final push toward the playoffs. But it soon became apparent that because of his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Simmons wasn’t ready for NBA primetime. In this episode, co-host Tim DiFrancesco (TD) uses the experience he gained in six seasons as the Lakers’ S&C coach to share how the Nets’ performance and medical staff are getting Simmons court-ready. TD also shares a simple way that...
2022-03-2134 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastJonathan Tjarks: Using Faith to Battle Cancer, The Unorthodox Story of How He Found God, How He Became an NBA Writer Instead of an NBA Player, and The Moment He Knew The Mavs Would Never Win Again with Dirk NowitzkiOn April 26, 2021, Jonathan Tjarks tweeted: “There's no easy way to say this. I've been diagnosed with cancer. The doctors aren't entirely sure what kind it is, but they think it is one of two kinds of sarcomas. I've already begun chemotherapy. Please keep me, my wife, and our one-year-old son in your prayers.” He then wrote an article for The Ringer titled “The Long Night of the Soul” explaining where his head and heart were at as he underwent chemo. By this time, Jonathan had been an NBA writer for The Ringer for a couple of years. He began...
2022-03-161h 16
Combo's CourtEpisode 348 - Dr. Tim DiFrancesco Talks Path To Lakers, Working With Kobe, & Athletic PerformanceFormer Strength and Conditioning Coach of The Los Angeles Lakers, Dr. Tim DiFrancesco, joins in to talk about his path to the L.A. Lakers, working with Kobe Bryant, athletic performance, and more!
Find Dr. TIm DiFrancesco on Instagram @TDAthletesEdge
Find Combo on Instagram @OneTwoCombo
2022-03-1530 minThe Basketball Strong Podcast8 Things Coaching Kobe Bryant Taught Me about Commitment, Outworking the Competition, the Mamba Mentality, and More18-time NBA All-Star. Five-time NBA champion. 2-time Finals MVP. Kobe Bryant’s legacy as the greatest player since Michael Jordan is unparalleled. Most of what has been said about Kobe has been through third parties, but Basketball Strong Podcast co-host Tim DiFrancesco had the blessing of coaching Kobe up close over four years with the Lakers.In this episode, Tim and co-host Phil White discuss eight lessons for basketball and life that Kobe taught TD. Listen on and you will discover an intimate portrait of:· A pre-game story you have never heard about Kobe fighting throug...
2022-03-1445 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastOsheray Streeter: Fighting to Earn a College Scholarship, Growing up in a Single-Parent Household, and Becoming a Physical Therapist Dedicated to Helping Hoopers Dominate the CourtBy the end of his senior year, Osheray “O” Streeter was considered the best pure point guard in Alaska. But his ascendancy didn’t come easy. O was raised by his single mother in one of the roughest parts of Fairbanks and didn’t get to know his father until years later. Through the mentorship of a neighbor who he considers to be his big sister and a caring yet combative coach, O pushed himself to excel every time he stepped on the hardwood. O turned down multiple D2 and D3 scholarship offers to pursue his dream of ballin...
2022-03-091h 44The Basketball Strong PodcastWhy Basketball Players Shouldn’t Do Olympic Lifts, What Exercises Are Great At Power Development for Basketball Athletes with Lower Risk Reward, Talking Kobe Out Of Olympic Lifts in the Twilight of his CareerThere’s no doubt that Olympic lifting can help athletes build strength, speed, and power. But having successfully prepared players at every level from prep school to the pros, former Lakers S&C coach, TD Athletes Edge founder, and Basketball Strong Podcast co-host Dr. Tim DiFrancesco has seen that the risks often outweigh the rewards. Because of their long spines, legs, and arms, basketball players’ bodies are typically ill-suited to the demands of the snatch and clean and jerk. Unlike some other team sports, they also need to develop fine motor skills. Plus, it can take years to ma...
2022-03-0735 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastGary Vitti: How Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Demonstrated True Greatness, What It Took To Be A Head Athletic Trainer In The NBA, and The Moment That Forged The Celtics v. Lakers Rivalry of The 80’sMany fans refer to Gary Vitti as a Lakers legend. He doesn't describe himself that way - but it is well known that he has worked with many legends over his 32-year NBA career. During his tenure as Head Athletic Trainer, the team won 12 Western Conference Championships and eight NBA Championships. When he started in 1984, he was a one-man show, the first person at practice and games and the last one to leave. Since that time, iconic films and photos dot the media from network highlights to magazine covers. The job went beyond health care to personal relationships with...
2022-03-021h 24The Basketball Strong PodcastMike Sielski: How Kobe Bryant’s Quest for Greatness Began, Why a Box of Lost Tapes Led to His New Book, and How Kobe's Mom Forged the Mamba MentalityWhile in his senior year at Lower Merion High School, Kobe Bryant and a friend decided that when he made it to the NBA, his journey would make a great book. So they sat down and recorded hours of audio interviews about Kobe continuing the legacy of his father Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant, the time he spent in Italy, his mom’s role in creating the Mamba Mentality, and more. Time passed and while Kobe won titles, MVPs, and Olympic gold medals, the tapes gathered dust and the book went unwritten. More than 20 years later, Mike Sielski got a c...
2022-02-231h 52
Athletes Authority ON AIRAthletes Authority ON AIR| Ep. 59 - Tim DiFrancesco - Former LA Lakers S&C Coach & Training The NBA AthleteToday’s episode of Athletes Authority ON AIR is episode 59 with co-hosts Lachlan Wilmot and Jordi Taylor. Today’s guest is Tim DiFrancesco, Director of TD Athlete Edge and former Los Angles Lakers Head S&C. Tim spent 7 seasons with the Lakers and provides us with a unique behind the scenes of the inner workings of what goes on in the NBA and some of his systems and principles when training the NBA athlete. In this episode, Tim shares his thoughts and lessons on beginning in the G League to the NBA, bei...
2022-02-2058 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastJelani Williams (Part 2): Coming Back Strong after nearly 5 Years out Injured with 3 ACL Tears, Leading from the Sideline, and Chasing an NCAA Tournament Berth with PennMany players struggle to bounce back after one ACL tear, while two would be the end for most. So imagine suffering three ACL injuries, and being forced to sit out from the time you were a high school senior until you were a fifth-year senior in college. That’s the 1,788-day odyssey that Jelani Williams has lived through. Shining on his high school team as they made a perennial push to the state title game and holding his own against the likes of #1 prospect and current Denver Nugget Michael Porter, Jr., Jelani had his pick of Power 5 sch...
2022-02-181h 28The Basketball Strong PodcastJelani Williams (Part 1): Coming Back Strong after nearly 5 Years out Injured with 3 ACL Tears, Leading from the Sideline, and Chasing an NCAA Tournament Berth with PennMany players struggle to bounce back after one ACL tear, while two would be the end for most. So imagine suffering three ACL injuries, and being forced to sit out from the time you were a high school senior until you were a fifth-year senior in college. That’s the 1,788-day odyssey that Jelani Williams has lived through. Shining on his high school team as they made a perennial push to the state title game and holding his own against the likes of #1 prospect and current Denver Nugget Michael Porter, Jr., Jelani had his pick of Power 5 sch...
2022-02-161h 18The Basketball Strong PodcastBriana Butler Shares What Life is Like as a WNBA Player and Dietitian | Nutrition Tips for Youth and Pro Athletes (part 2)Pro baller. Entrepreneur. Wife. Mother. Everything Briana Butler touches turns to gold. She played for three years in the WNBA, which required her to also ball out for teams in Europe and Australia due to female pros being underpaid. Once her pro career was over, Briana decided to build on the BS in human performance she earned from USC with a master’s in clinical nutrition from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She and her sister - former WNBA player Stef Gilbreath, founded Power Portions, and work with collegiate, professional (NFL, NBA, WNBA, NBA G-League, Ult...
2022-02-1248 minThe Basketball Strong PodcastBriana Butler Shares What Life is Like as a WNBA Player and Dietitian | Nutrition Tips for Youth and Pro Athletes (part 1)Pro baller. Entrepreneur. Wife. Mother. Everything Briana Butler touches turns to gold. She played for three years in the WNBA, which required her to also ball out for teams in Europe and Australia due to female pros being underpaid. Once her pro career was over, Briana decided to build on the BS in human performance she earned from USC with a master’s in clinical nutrition from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She and her sister - former WNBA player Stef Gilbreath, founded Power Portions, and work with collegiate, professional (NFL, NBA, WNBA, NBA G-L...
2022-02-091h 04
Chasing EnergyEMPOWERING your performance for an athletic life Tim DifrancescoSend us a textDr. Tim DiFrancesco is the president and founder of TD Athletes Edge. He's the former Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. TD Athletes Edge is renowned for its scientific approach to training, nutrition, and recovery for athletes and fitness enthusiastsTim’s Incredible Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tdathletesedge/Basketball Strong Podcasthttps://www.basketballstrongpodcast.com/Why Plantar Fasciitis is often misdiagnosedSolutionsLoad / strengthen w/ a towel Fasciitis fighter toolhttps://www...
2022-02-071h 03The Basketball Strong PodcastHenry Barrera: Bouncing Back From Loss to Serve OthersHenry Barrera joined the Liberty men’s basketball program as its Director of Performance in June 2015 and was promoted to his current position as Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports in July 2018. Barrera came to Liberty from the state of Oregon, where he was a Performance Training Specialist at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton. While at Nike he was instrumental in designing training content for multiple projects including Jordan Brand’s Terminal 23 in New York and The Hangar in Los Angeles. He continues to consult with many training companies including Nike Basketball, the Jordan Brand, Nike N7, Shoo...
2022-02-021h 14The Basketball Strong Podcast3-Time NBA Champion Jud Buechler on What it Was Like When Michael Jordan Returned to the Chicago Bulls and Why Scottie Pippen & Steve Kerr Were Such Great TeammatesMichael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Phil Jackson got all the media attention during the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat, but role players were crucial to their success. While Jordan was still on his baseball hiatus, the Bulls signed small forward Jud Buechler, who’d previously shown what we now call “3 and D” skills with the Warriors, Spurs and Nets. The following March, Jordan sent the basketball universe into a frenzy with just two words: “I’m back.” In this episode of Basketball Strong, Jud shares the inside story of the three championships that followed, what it was like in tho...
2022-01-261h 53The Basketball Strong PodcastChris Kaman Gets Candid About his Mental Health Challenges, Why Old-School Centers Still Have a Place in Pro Basketball, and the Glory of 3-on-3 TournamentsImagine suiting up to do battle with the likes of Shaq, Alonzo Mourning, and Dikembe Mutombo on a nightly basis. That’s what awaited Chris Kaman when he debuted in the League after the LA Clippers selected him with the 6th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, which also featured LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Carmelo Anthony. Chris went on to become one of the best post players in the NBA, earning an All-Star nod in 2010. After leaving the Clippers, Chris continued to be a consistent scorer and defender for the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, LA Lakers, and Portland Tr...
2022-01-161h 40The Basketball Strong PodcastWelcome to the Basketball Strong PodcastThere are plenty of sports podcasts out there. What makes Basketball Strong different? That’s exactly what this episode is about. Our goal is to put unlimited tools in the hands of basketball players, coaches, parents, performance staff, and other listeners who love the game as much as we do. We’ll always ask the extra question that makes guests say, ‘Nobody’s ever asked me that’ - whether that guest is 3-time NBA champion Jud Buechler, All-Star Chris Kaman, or NBA Coach of the Year Byron Scott. In this episode, you’ll get a brief intro to:Who yo...
2022-01-0224 min
Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew CoatesEP 35 Dr. Tim DiFrancesco: Philosophy and MethodologyDr. Tim DiFrancesco guests to talk about the pros and cons of spending 6 years as the head strength and conditioning coach of the LA Lakers NBA team. Tim fills you in on the unglamorous sacrifices you need to make to work in this world an contrasts life running his own facility in Salem, MA. Tim shares what he means by needing to be in the right place at the right time doing the right stuff. Tim caps this episode off with a break down of why its important as a coach to have a philosophy and a methodology for...
2021-05-0454 minThe Strength Running Podcast189. Former LA Lakers Strength Coach Tim DiFrancesco on Why Runners Must Get StrongTim DiFrancesco is the former Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team. After spending more than six seasons in the NBA, he left to grow TD Athletes Edge, his performance-oriented strength facility in Salem, MA. He earned his BS in Exercise Science & Athletic Training from Endicott College and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His experience includes professional athletes, sub-elite athletes in the NBA-Development League, and recreational athletes across numerous disciplines. In this conversation, we discuss what really happens in your body when you start...
2021-04-131h 10
Our Lives In MedicineDr. Tim DiFrancesco, DPT & Former Head of Strength & Conditioning for LA LakersWhat’s up everyone and welcome to another episode of OLIM! This episode features Dr. Tim DiFrancesco, DPT. Dr. DiFrancesco is the former head Strength & Conditioning coach for the LA Lakers, and is a Physical Therapist who focuses on sports rehabilitation and injury prevention in athletes. He produces huge volumes of high quality content for athletes and anyone with injuries; these videos are super insightful, and have personally helped me improve some old injuries! Check out this super fun episode and learn about Dr. DiFrancesco’s path through Physical Therapy. I hope you enjoy!
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2021-01-1948 min
The Johnny Hotsocks ShowInterview with Tim DifrancescoToday’s guest is Tim DiFrancesco who served as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, he worked with the likes of superstars Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash.Six years later leaving the LA Lakers to dedicate his career to his business, TD Athletes Edge, a fitness training facility located in Salem, Mass. DiFrancesco and his staff of coaches and nutritionists help many clients, from pro athletes to the average person looking to get in better shape, their maximum performance through training, recovery and nutrition.
To follow Tim
Instagram - Tdathletesedge
www.edgenow.tdathletesedge.com
2020-10-1000 min
The B.rad PodcastTim DiFrancesco: Functional Fitness, Injury Prevention and the Customized Future Of Athletic Training“Rinse, repeat, and live to fight another day.” These are the prophetic workouts that represent the cutting edge of athletic training and functional fitness. I catch up with former Los Angeles Lakers Strength and Conditioning Coach Tim DiFrancesco to discuss matters of great importance to weekend warriors everywhere: how to get the most out of your body and steer clear of nagging injuries and body breakdown that leaves many people on the sidelines or under the surgery knife before their time. Tim has retired from the grind of the NBA with many great insights and a tremendous data...
2020-06-301h 06
On The Board SportsTim DiFrancescoShawn Thomas and Will Chiarucci talk to Tim DiFrancesco of TD Athletes Edge. The Trio talks about how DiFrancesco started his time as a trainer, his time working as the trainer of the Bakersfield Jam, working with the Los Angeles Lakers and shadowing the great Lakers trainer Gary Vitti. The trio also talks about how TDAE started, how to properly work out and how to diet. Follow Tim DiFrancesco and TDAE on social media: (@tdathletesedge) Have a question and want to contact TD Athletes Edge looking for assistance: Text or call 978.712.0260Email tdteam@tdathletesedge.com ...
2020-05-0936 min
How Do You Feel?Ep22: Seeing All Humans as Athletes with Tim DiFrancescoTim DiFrancesco is the President & Founder of TD Athletes Edge. He earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2006. In December of 2011, he was named the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. While traveling with the Lakers for 6 seasons, Tim built TD Athletes Edge. It started as a series of online channels for top fitness and health guidance. After leaving the Lakers in 2017, he dedicated his full-time efforts to building up the physical training location of TD Athletes Edge with his team in Salem, MA.
In this episode Tim...
2019-09-1641 min
The Nick Symmonds ShowTim DiFrancesco, Founder of TD Athletes Edge - Your Desire To Succeed Should Be Just As Great As Your Desire To Help Others - 033"I needed to be able to impact more people."
Driven To See People Get Back To 100%
Tim DiFrancesco graduated from Endicott College with a Bachelor’s in Science/Athletic Training. Graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. Tim has also completed the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification on The Essentials of Sport & Exercise Nutrition.
He spent six seasons as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and is the founder of TD Athletes Edge, which offers a systematic, resu...
2019-03-1931 min
The Robbie Bourke PodcastEpisode 197: Tim DiFrancesco - Professional sports, coaching burn-out, happiness, and fulfillmentThis episodes guest is Tim DiFrancesco from TD Athletes Edge.
Tim DiFrancesco PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS, spent 6 seasons as a head strength and conditioning coach in the NBA and is a renowned thought leader in sports medicine and athletic performance. He is the founder of TD Athletes Edge.
On this episode Tim and I discussed:
Tim gives us an his background
I ask Tim what was his mind-set like when he took the role with the Bakersfield Jam
I ask Tim to share with us his whole experience working in professional bas...
2019-01-0759 min
The Duck Legs PodcastHow to Find Your Happiness with Tim DiFrancescoHappy Holidays! We have a huge episode with the man behind TD Athlete's Edge, Tim DiFrancesco, DPT, ATC, CSCS. Coach Tim was the former Lakers Strength & Conditioning coach and now runs the Athlete's Edge. The man is a wealth of knowledge! Tyler...
2018-12-2531 min
The Strength Coach PodcastTim DiFrancesco and the Hybrid Trainer, Working in B-Ball, and How to Earn Trust"Hit The Gym with a Strength Coach" Segment Tim Difrancesco (owner of TD Athletes Edge in Salem, MA and former LA Lakers Strength Coach) We talked about: Being at Physical Therapist, ATC and Strength Coach His former role with the Lakers Gaining trust of someone like Kobe Bryant who already had a trainer Is the Hybrid model of therapist and strength coach the new way to go His approach to training professional Basketball players Transition from Pros to private sector The StrengthCoach.com Coaches Corner with Coach Boyle We ta...
2018-05-111h 12
CVASPS The PodcastEpisode 117: Tim DiFrancesco: Focusing on the Task at Hand Separates the Great from the Good.“Your assessment, really, is never going to stop with us. We are assessing you as we see how you respond to the dosing and to the prescription of exercise that we give you.”Today we are joined by Tim DiFrancesco discussing working and learning in NBA, building a business, and relationships. After a brief intro Tim starts breaking down lesson’s he learned in his tenure in the league and how they are impacting him as a business man and a coach in the private sector. Being able to work with some of the best players and leaders of all...
2018-01-2342 min
The Unlock Wellness PodcastEpisode 038- Tim DiFrancesco- Finding Your EdgeTim DiFrancesco spent 6 seasons as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also the founder of TD Athletes Edge, co-host of the podcast Edge Factor Radio, and is dedicated to helping people reach peak performance, whether they are an athlete or not. Excited to share our conversation! Keep up with Tim on Social Media! Instagram Facebook Twitter Snapchat: tdathletesedge YouTube Check out the TD Athletes Edge Website: www.tdathletesedge.com Also, be sure to check out Tim's podcast, Edge Factor Radio, co-hosted with his brother, Scott: ...
2017-08-0940 min
The Performance Nutrition PodcastS1E25: Pro Athlete Training, Nutrition, Sleep & Travel w/ Tim DifrancescoIn PNP Episode #25, Dr. Bubbs sits down with former LA Laker Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Tim Difrancesco to take a deep dive into the life of a professional athlete. From training strategies and muscular imbalances, to identifying nutrition and supplementation goals, managing sleep and off-setting the stress of travel.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION PODCAST (PNP):
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-jYKOZ4ZzlAJfVexEp0NtQ
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Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2juoLlB
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2017-07-2053 min
Rugby Strength Coach PodcastPodcast #41: Training Kobe and the Lakers by Tim DiFrancescoTim DiFrancesco, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS spent 6 seasons as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and is the founder of TD Athletes Edge. He is [...]
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The post Podcast #41: Training Kobe and the Lakers by Tim DiFrancesco appeared first on The web’s #1 provider of rugby strength and conditioning information..
2017-06-0400 min
The Regained Wellness PodcastRW 086: Nutrition Lessons From The NBA With Tim DiFrancescoMy guest today is the head strength and conditioning coach of the L.A Lakers in the NBA, Tim DiFrancesco. Tim stops by to tell us about his journey to working with the best of the best, his nutrition insights and how you can apply these same concepts the pros use to enhance your own health […] The post RW 086: Nutrition Lessons From The NBA With Tim DiFrancesco appeared first on Regained Wellness.
2016-05-3153 min
The Strength DocStrength Doc Podcast 026- Life of a Pro Sports Clinician w/ Tim DiFrancescoWhat does it take to be a professional sports clinician?
Want to know how LA Lakers head physical therapist and strength & conditioning coach, Tim DiFrancesco, got his start? If you've ever dreamed about working for a pro team and want to know what the journey to get there and the life to stay there is like, then this is the episode for you!
Don't miss this episode of Strength Doc Podcast w/ host Dr. John Rusin as he breaks down pro sports, training, strength & conditioning with Tim DiFrancesco!
Tim DiFrancesco, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS, the Head Strength & Conditioning coach of th...
2016-05-1954 minThe Strength DocStrength Doc Podcast 026- Life of a Pro Sports Clinician w/ Tim DiFrancescoWhat does it take to be a professional sports clinician?
Want to know how LA Lakers head physical therapist and strength & conditioning coach, Tim DiFrancesco, got his start? If you've ever dreamed about working for a pro team and want to know what the journey to get there and the life to stay there is like, then this is the episode for you!
Don't miss this episode of Strength Doc Podcast w/ host Dr. John Rusin as he breaks down pro sports, training, strength & conditioning with Tim DiFrancesco!
Tim DiFrancesco, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS, the Head...
2016-05-1954 min
The Too Fit PodcastEpisode 15 - Lakers Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Tim DiFrancesco on Building Strength, Jumping Higher, and Grocery Shopping"Every human is an athlete and every athlete is human" - Tim DiFrancesco Tim DiFrancesco has forged NBA greats and hall of fame legends like Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash, Ron "Meta-World-Peace" Artest, and the list goes on. We had the honor to sit down with Tim where he gave us a behind the curtain look at his interactions with the world's most talented athletes as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. So, have you ever wondered how these athletes stay in peak physical condition for 84 games amidst...
2016-05-031h 31
Healthy Wealthy & Smart198: LA Lakers & Strength Training w/ Dr. Tim DiFrancescoDo you want to train some of the highest performing athletes in the world and keep them at the top of their game? On today's show, I talk with Dr. Tim DiFrancesco who is the lead strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In this episode we discuss:
How he made the leap into professional sports.
How is top strength tips can work on every patient/client regardless of age or experience.
Why your workout should focus on time under tension and perfect form.
How to stimulate muscle growth by increasing volume of work.
...
2016-02-0838 minStrength & Conditioning Expertise From Tim DiFrancesco of the L.A. LakersS&C training; diets for resilience & recovery Good news one of our favorite guests is back the head strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, Tim DiFrancesco. Similar to our first interview, last year, Tim and I cover a wide range of topics, everything from talent identification, over-training, the wonders of an […]
2015-08-0100 min