The NBPA has officially opened a new performance center in Los Angeles, giving NBA players a dedicated offseason training hub designed to keep everything they need under one roof, according to ESPN’s Ben Golliver.
The new PLYRS UNTD Performance Center is located in Playa Vista and occupies the former Los Angeles Clippers practice facility. Covering 42,500 square feet, the $50 million complex was developed after players repeatedly voiced the need for a centralized training location during discussions at NBA All-Star Weekend in February.
Houston Rockets guard and NBPA president Fred VanVleet helped lead the initiative, while former players Chris Paul, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston also contributed ideas during the planning stages. More than 80 players have already used the facility this offseason, including Anthony Davis, Tyrese Maxey and Trey Murphy III, according to ESPN’s Ben Golliver.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren explained why players pushed for the project.
“Nothing is harder than getting NBA players all on the same schedule, especially if there’s different places involved,” Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren said. “It just becomes a mess. The last couple years I’ve been out here [in Los Angeles], it’s hard to get in some summer runs. I would go work out on a court in one place, then go to another place to do weights, and then go to another place for recovery. It’s all just wasted time you can’t get back.”
The facility includes two full-sized basketball courts, a weight room, recovery areas, conference rooms, dining facilities, a sauna, steam room, meditation pod, massage therapy services, biomarker blood testing and nutrition support. The union also converted former Clippers offices into family-friendly spaces and additional workout areas.
NBPA executive director David Kelly said the project is about investing in players well beyond the current generation.
“This was the will of the guys,” Kelly said. “Let’s build something and invest in something that’s going to last for the next 20 years. We’re doing things that are player-first.”