Believe It Or Not But Boris Diaw Is On A Diet

Boris Diaw is shooting away the fat. Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Svelte is a kind term to describe Boris Diaw. Now to be fair, Diaw has definitely shed some weight as he was noticeably bigger from 2009-2011, when he played for the then Charlotte Bobcats. Diaw  has had a career renaissance with the San Antonio Spurs and one may point to his weight loss for his success. Especially since the Spurs structured his contract so he gets bonuses if he meets a certain weight.

From ESPN’s Amin Elhassan ( Insider subscription required):

"Most importantly, Diaw’s deal features $500,000 in annual performance bonuses in the form of a weight clause. Each season, he gets:"

"• $150,000 for weighing less than or equal to 254 pounds on Oct. 25"

"• $150,000 for weighing less than or equal to 254 pounds on the first Tuesday after the All-Star Game"

"• $200,000 for weighing less than or equal to 254 pounds on April 1"

"Basically, the Spurs have given Diaw a real incentive to make weight at three important junctures of the season: opening night, post-All-Star stretch and playoff push."

"The structure of this contract gives the team some leverage to keep the player motivated while giving him an incentive to continue to perform at a high level."

NBA.com lists Diaw’s weight at 250 pounds which if true means he’s in line for his  bonuses. This is all just a refresher from before the season started, when Diaw’s contract and his weight was discussed because he joined the Spurs later into training camp and the preseason due to his play with the French national team in the FIFA World Cup. Head coach Gregg Popovich allowed Diaw this break but also playfully jabbed him in the media:

Diaw of course responded appropriately:

It seems like Diaw is still keeping true to his summer regimen as Bismack Biyombo of the Charlotte Hornets reveals:

The rest of the NBA better watch out. Not only do the Spurs have Kawhi Leonard back but they are also featuring a decreasingly thinner Boris Diaw.