Peanut butter and jelly, tucked between two slices of white bread. Simple, sweet, sticky. A snack-time sandwich that in the United States has a nearly unpronounceable name – PB&J, short for Peanut Butter and Jelly – but a reputation no one dares question. Because in the NBA, this snack is sacred.
It all started in 2008, when Kevin Garnett, feeling a bit peckish before a game, was offered a PB&J. He accepted enthusiastically: “Let’s get on that”. He played well, the game ended, but for Garnett, something had just begun. From that day on, that sandwich became a must. First a routine, then a ritual, and finally a symbol.
From Boston, the PB&J cult quickly spread to every corner of the league. In Portland, they serve it buffet-style. In Cleveland, they use it as a “psychological weapon”: they offer low-quality versions to their opponents. In Milwaukee, half of the sandwiches are toasted just to please Damian Lillard, who prefers them crunchy.
Everyone has their own version. Russell Westbrook wants his with buttered and toasted bread. Carmelo Anthony used to eat his on a cinnamon raisin bagel. Kevin Durant even dedicated a shoe line to it. Kristaps Porzingis only discovered PB&Js after arriving in the NBA, but now he can’t go without them.
In some franchises, PB&J preparation has become a true art form: handmade bread, slow-cooked jam, creamy peanut butter whipped up in a mixer. The sandwiches are cut diagonally, served on elegant trays, and disappear within seconds. Forget protein shakes and custom meals – when the time is right in the NBA, there’s only room for the sandwich that won everyone over.
A legend born by chance, turned into tradition. And maybe even a little locker room secret.
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Author: Team Dunkest
May 7, 2025 | 2:16 pm
