The Rise of Veganism in the NBA: Warriors’ Star Steph Curry Expresses Intrigue in Teammate Chris Paul’s Plant-Based Lifestyle: “The vegan lifestyle has taken over the league” 

Golden State Warriors’ star player, Stephen Curry, has expressed his fascination with the growing trend of plant-based eating in the NBA, particularly highlighting his teammate Chris Paul’s impressive vegan journey. Curry discussed his observations on a recent episode of the Smartless podcast, where he emphasized the impact of plant-based diets on performance within the league.

“The vegan lifestyle has taken over the league,” Curry said. “Honestly, I don’t know how they get their calories. I know there is a science behind it.” 

Curry commended Chris Paul, who adopted a vegan diet in 2019 and joined the Warriors this season. The shift towards plant-based eating has been championed by assistant coach JB Blair, a long-time vegan, who has been instrumental in helping players understand the benefits of this lifestyle. Curry noted that the vegan lifestyle is gaining traction across the NBA, with players like Chris Paul leading the way.

“One of my teammates, Chris Paul, now who’s been I think vegan for about four years,” Curry said. “I’m fascinated by what he brings on the plane or at mealtime, you know … how he gets his nourishment.”

In an interview with VegNews, assistant coach JB Blair Blair confirmed that Paul’s decision to go vegan had a ripple effect throughout the NBA, influencing other players and prompting teams to provide more vegan options. Blair expressed his happiness with Paul’s influential decision, emphasizing the positive impact on player awareness and dietary modifications.

“I was so happy he did it because to have a player of that magnitude make that decision, it starts to open the eyes of players around him,” Blair told VegNews in a recent interview. “And also, it made teams aware that they needed to make modifications for those players.” 

Chris Paul’s vegan diet includes a variety of plant-based foods, with a typical lunch consisting of salad, a veggie bowl, and a protein drink. For dinner, he enjoys chef-prepared meals with beans, grains, and veggies. Paul is also a fan of plant-based products such as Just Egg, Beyond Meat’s vegan breakfast sausages, and plant-based pancakes. In 2021, he launched his own snack company, Good Eat’n, offering vegan snacks inspired by nostalgic childhood favorites.

“I’m just amazed and I just stare at him,” Curry said in the podcast episode. “I feel like I’m awkward, and I’m just staring at him, asking questions like, ‘How, how?’”

Stephen Curry, intrigued by Chris Paul’s plant-based choices, expressed his amazement and curiosity on the podcast, prompting actor and environmentalist Robert Downey Jr. to share insights from his upcoming plant-centric cookbook, “Cool Food.” Downey Jr. highlighted the positive impact of plant-based diets on athletic performance, referencing NBA players who have embraced this lifestyle.

Downey Jr. has been actively investing in eco-friendly startups, including vegan company Chunk Foods. During a livestream, he discussed the growth of plant-based catering in Hollywood and emphasized the importance of making climate-friendly changes to diets with a “progress not perfection” ethos.

“I was listening to Steph Curry talking about how many on the team have gone to a complete vegan diet, and he says he’s looking at them going ‘What are they eating?’” Downey Jr. said.

In summary, the NBA’s shift towards plant-based eating, as acknowledged by Curry and Downey Jr., reflects a broader trend in the world of sports, with athletes recognizing the performance benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle.

“These things are offered more by the caterers [on set],” Downey Jr. said. “Anyone who has leverage in these positions, you’re trying to feed 70-80 people and you’re trying to do it quick.”

“But what I’ll tell you is crazy is that the last two projects I’ve done, the amount of vegetarian and vegan options were as varied as my set appeared,” he said. 

Overall, Downey Jr. and Kostigen want to inspire readers to make climate-friendly changes to their diets with a “progress not perfection” ethos in the new year and beyond.

“The way we are trying to make a dent can be done in the simplest forms,” Downey Jr. said. “You don’t need to be living off the grid to make a dent. The impact of just one meal is phenomenal.”