Micah Parsons gets candid about load management amid NBA All-Star debate

Following the NBA All-Star weekend, one hot topic in NBA has been load management.

What is load management? Load management is defined as a deliberate temporary reduction of external physiological stressors intended to facilitate global improvements in athlete wellness and performance while preserving musculoskeletal and metabolic health.

In other words, it's resting when appropriate so you don't overdo your body and potentially get hurt. It's another phrase for resting your body after a lot of physical activity.

Load management has become extremely popular in the NBA. There are 82 games in a season, and some nights, even without injuries, players will be rested.

While the topic has been a hot debate, the NBA Star Anthony Edwards spoke out about players missing games due to load management. He thinks players shouldn't be resting, especially for the fans.

This caused the Cowboys' star linebacker Micah Parsons to respond and agree with Edwards' claim.

Parsons said he wouldn't miss games because you never know when your last game could be. He added that as long as he can breathe, he will be out there on Sundays.

Parsons Tweeted:

"I don’t miss games simply because you never know when your last game will be! Life so unpredictable. If I can breathe you’ll see number 11 with a star on his helmet every Sunday! You only get 1 shot at this opportunity and someone is always coming to replace you!"

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver weighs in on the load management debate

2023 NBA All Star Game

Over the NBA All-Star weekend, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was bombarded with load management questions.

When asked if he thinks it's a problem for players to miss games due to load management, he seemed unsure.

Silver said:

"I’m not sure. You see, I hesitate to weigh in on an issue as to whether players are playing enough because there is real medical data and scientific data about what’s appropriate.

Silver added:

"We are very focused on it. We hear it from our fans when players aren’t there. We think we can do a better job, but we don’t have a specific solution yet."

While the NBA plays 82 regular season games, the NFL only plays 17.

The NFL is a much more physically exhausting and tolling sport, but they can rest more as there can be multiple NBA games in a single week.

It's a debate to be had but ultimately, the players will decide if they will load manage or not.