Amid concerns over the lack of nationwide interest for an NBA Finals featuring two smaller-market teams, it seems a spat between a trainer and a former player has stolen the spotlight.
Tyrese Haliburton’s trainer, Drew Hanlen, and Brandon Jennings, a past first-round draft pick, have exchanged heated remarks after the former Bucks player criticized Hanlen’s training methods.
This unusual drama unfolded when Jennings quote-tweeted part of an article from The Athletic, which highlighted Hanlen’s approach of using trash talk to motivate his clients — including NBA stars like Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, and Bradley Beal.
Haliburton is quoted in the segment, saying how Hanlen will tell him that 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey said he’s going to keep him under lock in an upcoming matchup, which causes the polarizing Pacers guard to respond back about how he’s going to perform.
The article also details how he’ll have clients on heaters call those in dry spells, and how he will include Embiid and Tatum on a chain and remind them of feats they’ve yet to accomplish.
Jennings does not approve of said methods.
“Iâm reading this article on how Drew Hanlen puts his guys in ‘Text Chain’ to tell them they wonât do this or this guy is better and etc. weird and stupid I said this earlier in the year to much buddy buddy when it comes to that guy,” Jennings said in a May 31 post to X. “Iâm sorry but Robmac (skills trainer Rob McClanaghan) would never have Drose (Derrick Rose),KD (Kevin Durant), (Russell) Westbrook, Klove (Kevin Love), and etc all in text chain saying who canât win MVP!!!! GTFOH!!!!”
Well, a few days went by, and Hanlen didn’t respond.
That apparently didn’t sit well with Jennings, who quote-tweeted his original post to reignite the dormant feud.
“Why u so quiet now you groupie ass trainer @DrewHanlen where is the group text chain now!!!!” Jennings wrote Tuesday. “U the biggest basketball groupie trainer ever.”
Hanlen then decided to join the fray and dunked on Jennings.
“Iâm getting two of my clients (Haliburton & [Chet] Holmgren) ready for the finals so donât have time to waste on your dumbass takes,” Hanlen wrote Tuesday night.
“Side note: Maybe if your trainer would talked s–t to you, you wouldnât have shot 37% from the field & 23% from 3 in the playoffs while never winning s–t.”
Ouch.
Hanlen provided largely factual statements, with Jennings shooting 37.2 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from 3 (you should round to 24, to be fair) during his limited playoff sample size.
Jennings, who played for the Bucks, Pistons, Magic, Wizards and Knicks in his nine-season career, made it past the first round once.
Hanlen then took it even further by quote-tweeting with an eyeballs emoji a @statmust post showing Jennings tallied the third-lowest 3-point shooting percentage in NBA history for those with at least 75 attempts.
The former Arizona star responded to the dig Wednesday morning.
“So you the reason Haliburton been playing like this? Or is it cause the league âplayersâ said he was overrated!!! Let me guess you put Chet and Hali in group text for the finals?” Jennings wrote.
“Lol iiighttttt Every time you do this something goes bad with ur clients. Stop wasting ur time!!! Side note: you have Short man syndrome.”
One of Hanlen’s clients will get his first ring in the Finals when Holmgren’s favored Thunder face Haliburton’s Pacers starting Thursday in Game 1.
