As the Bucks roll deeper into the playoffs, they have a secret weapon on their side.
When NBA teams talk about success they often extol the virtues of shooting drills and strength training. A few years ago, the Bucks moved nutrition to the top of the list.
GALLERY: Inside what the Milwaukee Bucks eat
In 2015, they were the first NBA team to hire a full time dietician and chef, then-25-year-old Shawn Zell.
“It speaks volumes about our ownership. They have made players care a priority,” Zell told me recently in the state of the art kitchen where he prepares meals for Bucks players, coaches and staff.
“It’s the next frontier that pro sports teams across the globe are taking notice. It’s exciting to be on the frontier of that.”
The Bucks recently invited me to spend some time with Zell. It was a pleasant surprise when I showed up and Zell offered to make us lunch.
As the chopping and cutting and measuring gave way to sauteing and frying, a color explosion happened in the oversized kitchen:. Brussels sprouts, sweet peppers, corn, sweet potatoes, kale and onions mixed with browned bison.
“This is actually an accident meal that Giannis loved,” Zell told me, referring to the young superstar who loves to eat whatever Zell is cooking up.
“Let’s call it a Bison Power Bowl,” Zell suggested as we settled into the same chairs that the Bucks occupy on most days.
Zell says it is a challenge to feed professional athletes who burn calories quicker than they can replenish them.
“We get these guys when they are 19, 20 years old. It’s fun because they are not so set in their ways, ” Zell says.
“It’s a continual teaching. We like to teach with plates instead of paper.”
Different strategies work with different players.
“Sometimes, it’s the ‘I thought we were friends, why can’t you try this?’ approach.” Zell says with a chuckle. “Other time it’s banter and badgering. ‘If you don’t want to get better, don’t try it.’ There’s something about food that is an emotional connection. You build trust with them.”
As I sat in the chair where the Greek Freak likes to grab a bite, I had to ask about his eating habits.
“He goes through more fruit than any other player. He loads up when he walks out every day. He is a good eater. He is not shy at the table,” Zell tells me as we finish up lunch.
Zell’s team will serve 18,000 meals this year. When the Bucks are in town, they provide breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and extra meals that go home with each player.
Unlike most NBA franchises, the Bucks even work with restaurants to craft each meal while the Bucks are on the road.
The Bucks’ success is proof that Zell’s work is paying off.
Bucks Forward Khris Middleton, a first time all-star, is all in on what Zell has cookin’.
“It’s a little bit of everything. Seafood, chicken…he knows I’m a big pizza guy. He throws it in there for me every once in a while,” Middleton told me after a recent practice.
“The first time I really got on the plan with him was when I got hurt and I was out for three months. He got me lean. He is perfect for us.”
Forward D.J. Wilson says working on his diet is as important as working on his game.
“We work out a lot. We are in the weight room and on the court. The next vital thing is nutrition, what we put in our body,” Wilson told me.
Chef Zell knows that producing fun is a huge part of producing results.
“Sometimes we’ll jokingly say, ‘Why don’t you make your omelet?’ They don’t fit under our hood system. It’s fun watching them hit their heads on the hanging pots and pans. Hand-eye coordination goes out the window when it’s s saute pan, not a basketball.”
And with a smile, Middleton tells me that Zell keeps it fun.
“It’s always live in there. If it’s pasta, he might have Italian music fired up. Sometimes it’s rock n roll. He keeps it going.”
Zell loves what he does. The players love how he does it.