Al Jefferson on Dropping 20 Pounds: ‘Every Popeye’s Commercial I See, I Turn The TV Off’

Al Jefferson is known for owning the left block with a seemingly endless variety of post moves. He’s not, however, exactly known for being well-conditioned.

As he heads into a big contract year, Big Al will be 20 pounds lighter due in part to changing his diet. That meant no fried chicken.

For Jefferson, the only chicken on the menu this season is barbecue chicken in the post.

More from the Charlotte Observer:

Fried chicken: Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson craves it and he knows it’s off his menu in the effort to lose as much as 25 pounds.

 

So when a certain commercial comes on the television, Big Al grabs for the remote.

 

“Every Popeye’s commercial I see, I have to turn the TV off,” Jefferson said Thursday.

 

Jefferson will again be a big factor in how the Hornets do in the upcoming season. He discussed his summer and the Hornets’ prospects with Observer NBA writer Rick Bonnell:

 

Q: You said at last season’s conclusion it was important you lose 20 or more pounds in the off-season. How has that gone?

 

Great. 20-plus. One thing about losing weight: It becomes a lot easier once you become disciplined about what you’re eating. Cutting out the sugar and the starch. Taking care of your body. Once I got into a routine it became pretty easy. And I knew what I was doing it for – to take some of the weight off my knees and getting my body into better shape than last year.