NBPA opens new state-of-the-art facility in Los Angeles: 'We literally do not have to go anywhere else'

LOS ANGELES -- After recognizing the need for a West Coast hub, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) transformed an old Clippers building into a new 24/7 training facility that came together with heavy input from players across the league. PLYRS UNTD, the consumer-facing commercial brand of the NBPA, officially made the announcement on Tuesday.

The $50 million facility covers 42,500 square feet in Playa Vista and is conveniently located about 15 minutes away from the Los Angeles International Airport. There already were some offseason training options for players, but none quite like this. 

The NBPA office in New York has a court for players, but this L.A. space is significantly bigger with more resources. The West Coast was also in need of a training facility because, according to NBPA research, about 200 NBA players spend time in the Los Angeles market during the offseason.

There was a soft launch earlier this summer, and in the first two weeks after summer league, there were more than 80 players using the facility. NBPA Executive Director and PLYRS UNTD CEO David Kelly said they had been thinking about a facility for "quite some time" and finally saw the opportunity to do it when the Clippers left to Inglewood. 

"The response has been phenomenal," Kelly said. "I think it ties into what we're trying to do, what our larger brand in the larger  PLYRS UNTD is -- and that is, create spaces that are by and for the guys. Get feedback from the guys on what they would want to see inside of that space."

Despite playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, forward Trey Murphy said he is always in Los Angeles toward the end of summer to work with trainer Drew Hanlen. Murphy was appointed Vice President of NBPA Executive Committee in February and played a big role in the decision-making of this project. He explained why players wanted a state-of-the-art facility on the West Coast.

"I really think it was because we had the facility in New York and it did really well, and there's a lot of guys that are in L.A. all the time," he said. "I got open runs at UCLA on a small court. Not to talk bad about UCLA at all... it's just the reality of it, it's not a regulation court. But now here we have a regulation court, we have a weight room, we have a sauna, we have turf. And we literally do not have to go anywhere else to work out."

The building was already there, but there were a lot of renovations made with player input. A whiteboard in the new facility is covered with sticky notes in which players' wrote down requests -- many of them that have already been completed. Murphy said he wanted an assault bike but, the main priority for him was simple:

"I requested a lot of food things," he said.

Food and smoothies were actually a very popular request from players. There is a heavy focus on healthy ingredients, and besides the smoothie bar, there is also an on-site breakfast and lunch provided by Pivot Culinary during the peak offseason training window.

Other than food, a lot of the players' requests focused on weight room equipment and wellness resources such as massage therapists and acupuncture. Some of the most unique requests included a turf hill and boxing.

Amenities of PLYRS UNTD Performance Center

• Two full-sized basketball courts built to official league specifications
• A fully equipped athletic training room for treatment and rehabilitation
• A premium weight room featuring equipment hand-selected by NBA players
• Advanced recovery amenities, including a sauna, steam room, dry floating, massage therapy room, and meditation pod
• Dedicated turf spaces for both indoor and outdoor training
• Family room and conference rooms 
• An on-site culinary offering with pre- and post-workout fueling options and educational resources 

This offseason there are also biweekly runs conducted by PA staff, and players are allowed to bring their own trainers. NBPA's Chief Player Experiences Officer Matteo Zuretti described the facility as a "performance box" because it gives players tools and resources they need but also doesn't limit them with what/whom they can use.

"What we really want to provide is this box, and then the guys bring whatever they need, and then we fill that gap, "Zuretti said. "So, for example, we are going to have an athletic trainer, physiotherapist. The guys might have their own people, or they are actually seeking for that type of support."

It's also helpful that players can come in whenever they want. Murphy has been using the facility regularly but said the latest he would probably do is 10 p.m. because he values his sleep. But he said there are players who take advantage of 2 a.m. workouts.

But perhaps one of the biggest benefits is simply having so many NBA players working out in one spot, which serves as motivation because "iron sharpens iron." In fact, Murphy said one of the best workouts and shooting days he's had recently was at this training facility because he knew others were watching. 

"You walk in the gym and your mind starts going, 'All right, I see a lot of NBA players.' And you have to lock in and make sure they know that I've been working too," Murphy said. "So it's healthy competition, I would say."