Keep sleeping on the New York Knicks’ secret weapon. Their entire team will, too – from a certain point of view.
New York has a clean slate of health for the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the high-stakes playoff run that even their own team governor expects to last until at least the Eastern Conference Finals.
Every contending team with big stars is bound to have unsung heroes, even in a big market like the Big Apple. But it’s hard to say that the team’s high-impact reserves, like rebounding monster Mitchell Robinson or two-way menace Miles McBride, are “slept on.”
The Knicks’ most underrated asset might not be any of their players, though, but rather their award-winning training staff – and the sleep they encourage members of the team to get. Even after their 2025 recognition as the NBA Trainers Association's Athletic Training Staff of the Year, the group's impact still might not get the credit it deserves.
Team naps?! Knicks' secret weapon is sleeping – literally
Knicks Senior Performance Coach Shimon Ishikawa said in a discussion with other Gatorade Performance Partners that, in his experience, the "main components to performance and recovery" include "Sleep, Nutrition, and Movement."
"Rest days are important, modalities can be effective, but if the 3 vital pillars are not fulfilled, the performance will ultimately be undermined. ... With the rigorous NBA schedule, it is nearly impossible to consistently get an average of seven to nine hours of sleep; therefore, sleep banking or naps can be effective," Ishikawa told Gatorade Fieldhouse.
All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns recently told Business Insider that "the whole team naps before each game for a max of about two hours," adding that it's "part of the routine" on game days.
Given the extent to which Ishikawa says sleep can impact other forms of preparation for games, it's clear why the Knicks create environments for players to get the rest they need.
The trainer added that the team also offers yoga, pool, and other "primarily non-impact" forms of movement after team flights to get players' blood flowing (and reduce any swelling that might be caused by the sometimes-extended periods of sedentary travel.
The roster's perfect bill of health going into the postseason includes Mitchell Robinson, after a season-long load management plan that included missing half of every back-to-back. For the Knicks, entering the playoffs without any sort of injury designations is going to be just as important to their chances of winning as any other factor.
New York thrives against top-tier opponents because they both have the versatility to match up well against plenty of different play-styles – and the starpower to capitalize on big late-game moments. But that versatility ultimately isn't there if the team isn't fully healthy, from its star wings to its back-up center.
The Knicks' playoff health might be fueled by an award-winning staff of trainers, but it seems they're glad to credit sleep as a main factor that allows the hard work players put in, both with the team and on their own, show.
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