Wizards assistant Joseph Blair opens up about his vegan diet

Washington Wizards assistant coach Joseph (JB) Blair was profiled by VegNews.com last week for his vegan diet. Blair also adds that it also helped him live a healthier lifestyle.

In an article by Anna Starostinetskaya, Blair noted that he has been vegan for nine years, and started becoming a vegetarian and pescatarian when he was a college basketball player at Arizona in the early 1990s, helping him stay in shape. He ultimately made the decision to become a vegan after seeing documentaries on animal cruelty in agriculture.

Though Blair is not an NBA player (the closest was when he played a preseason game for the Chicago Bulls), there are other players who are making the switch to becoming vegan, most notably Chris Paul.

Blair also said that a vegan diet, and the discipline to remain vegan has more benefits. Here’s a notable quote from the piece:

Mentally, I have clear thinking and focus. And, I truly do believe that the discipline it takes to follow a plant-based diet bleeds over to other aspects of your life, as well.

I personally am not vegan, though I have tried some vegan dishes which taste really close to the meat-based alternative, like plant-based burgers and chicken tenders. It will be interesting to see how veganism grows within the NBA in the years to come.