Olynyk becomes ‘workout machine’ to bulk up for more quality minutes
When a player signs with the Heat, they’re usually asked to take a shirtless picture for a before-andafter photo series the team plans for them.
Forward James Johnson’s before-and-after photos were drastic, as he dropped almost 30 pounds and 8 percent of body fat in his first season with the Heat. Johnson is now one of the visual examples the Heat can keep on its iPad to show incoming players what its strength and conditioning program can do for them.
And you can also add Kelly Olynyk, 27, to that list of Heat weight-loss success stories.
Olynyk said he signed with Miami in the summer of 2017 at 258 pounds and 12.75 percent body fat, and he immediately started to see the results from the team’s program. The 7footer is now down to 232 pounds and just 6 percent body fat.
“It’s allowed me to play a lot of minutes and play them at a high level, and not get fatigued anymore or as fatigued as you would,” Olynyk said of his improved physique, with the Heat beginning a two-game trip Saturday against the Knicks. “It’s more of a lifestyle now. You’re just kind of engrained in it and trying to keep your body at the highest level it can operate at. I think that’s really important. For us and our team, that’s kind of what it’s all about.
“I enjoy it. I embrace it. The weight and the body fat stuff, it’s kind of like a competition to me. It’s like a game, a challenge. Can you do it? Can you not do it? What does it take?”
Getting in better shape helped Olynyk average a career-high 23.4 minutes last season to earn his $1 million bonus for reaching the 1,700-minute mark. It marked the first time he has reached that threshold in his NBA career, surpassing a previous career-high of 1,538 total minutes.
And Olynyk is on pace to reach 1,700 minutes to earn that $1 million bonus again this season. If Olynyk achieves the bonus, it’s expected to push the Heat above the luxury tax threshold.
With seven games remaining on the Heat’s schedule entering Saturday’s matchup against the Knicks, Olynyk has played a total of 1,636 minutes and needs to average just 9.143 minutes if he plays all seven to earn the bonus.
“It really speaks to his commitment level,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Just pull up a picture of him four years ago in an NBA uniform and what he looks like right now. He’s dropped seven or eight percent body fat, and he’s a machine. He’s a workout machine. I think he can play all day.
“After every single game, regardless of the minutes, Olynyk gets an extra workout on the bike and often times in the weight room. That’s how good of shape he’s in. He’s in world-class shape.
“When we define that, he’s one of the guys who has really embraced that. It’s allowed him to play more efficiently and play for longer stretches of time than he’s ever had in his career.”
Olynyk is averaging 10.1 points on 46.5 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 22.7 minutes this season. But he has taken on a bigger role over the past two months, averaging 13.2 points on 49.1 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.4 minutes in 19 games since the All-Star break.
An improved diet and new postgame regimen has helped Olynyk on and off the court.
“I kind of feel like you’re accomplishing stuff and you feel good mentally and physically when you’re eating healthy food,” Olynyk said. “You’re kind of just fueling your body in the right ways. When you can do that, it’s more about sustainability and kind of like a lifestyle. You feel better.”
In addition to eating healthier, Olynyk began a postgame routine last season that requires him to get on the stationary bike for whatever the difference is between 40 minutes and the amount of minutes he played that day.
“If I played 25 minutes, I bike 15 minutes. Whatever it takes to get to 40 minutes,” he said. “So sometimes if I didn’t play, I would bike 40 minutes. In my mind, it was like if they ever ask me to play 40 minutes, I can be able to.”
Then Olynyk played a career-high 45 minutes in a win over the Hornets on March 6. He has logged 40 or more minutes in five games during his NBA career and four have come in his two seasons with the Heat.
“That’s one thing about K.O., man,” wing player Rodney McGruder said. “After every game, he’s on the bike, he’s putting in that extra work. So that’s a testament to the work he’s putting in that you all don’t see. Him taking care of his body, getting down, losing weight, changing his body, losing body fat and things like that. His work ethic is crazy.”
Anthony Chiang: 305-376-4991, @Anthony_Chiang