The Whiteboard: Figuring out NBA players’ favorite Thanksgiving dishes

If a bunch of NBA players got together for Thanksgiving, which players would prefer each dish?

There’s always a lot to be thankful for every Thanksgiving, and this one is no exception. In addition to all of the normal, boring stuff like family, I’m thankful that I get to write weird columns like this one. Let’s get right to it and figure out some notable NBA players’ favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

The Turkey — LeBron James

The turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving. It’s not everybody’s favorite dish, but it’s the one that represents the holiday more than any other. Such is LeBron James’ relationship with the NBA. Some will say Steph is better, but it’s hard to argue that this hasn’t been LeBron’s league for a long time.

Cranberry Sauce — James Harden

James Harden is not one to bow to convention. Harden definitely rubs a lot of people the wrong way with his herky-jerky foul drawing and apparent dispassion for defense. Similarly, cranberry sauce has its enemies. Still, the can-shaped gel is loved by many, and the fact that both the sauce and Harden wear red makes the connection even stronger.

Stuffing — Anthony Davis

Stuffing is simply not properly appreciated. It does a lot of work on Turkey Day, but it’s tough for stuffing to stand out by itself — it needs some help to truly shine. Anthony Davis can relate. He tries really hard and does have success by himself, but it looks like he’s going to need some teammates to help him truly shine.

Gravy — Kevin Durant

Thanksgiving items are already really good without gravy. Some might say it’s almost unfair to add gravy to food like turkey and stuffing. Do those food items really need gravy on them? You can probably see how this relates to Kevin Durant on the Golden State Warriors.

Mashed Potatoes – Kawhi Leonard

Everybody likes mashed potatoes, but most people don’t love mashed potatoes. Kawhi Leonard seems to have a generally positive reputation around the NBA, maybe less so after his sudden split from the San Antonio Spurs. Still, you can’t argue that both don’t add a lot to either the meal or an NBA roster.

Sweet Potatoes — Giannis Antetokounmpo 

Sweet potatoes are unstoppable. There are tons of different ways to prepare them, and they can be either sweet with some marsh mellows or served straight up and still serve as a nice menu option. And they’re always filling. Giannis Antetokounmpo seemed sweet when he came into the NBA, but now he’s mean-mugging every night, and Giannis definitely stuffs the stat sheet.

Pumpkin Pie – Steph Curry

Pumpkin pie is the perfect end to a Thanksgiving meal, just like how watching Steph Curry and the Warriors is the perfect way to wrap up an evening of watching hoops. It also helps that fresh pumpkin pie is sweet and has a somewhat wet consistency, just like Steph’s jumper.

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