NBA Lockout: 10 Players Who Are Keeping Busy During the Lockout

With the lockout in full swing, there are plenty of players contemplating playing overseas or staying put in the United States. Other players aren't thinking, they are keeping busy and doing.

Some NBA players have used this as a chance to go back to school and earn an education, which they know will not only be vital to helping kill time during the lockout, but that degree they earn could help them receive a coaching job after they hang up their sneakers when all is said and done.

Others are taking the chance to play other sports that they were once smitten with as a child long before basketball became their profession and chosen passion.

Then you have some other players who are utilizing this time to market themselves and playing in all different tournaments in some of street ball's hottest court spots or even overseas, to make their face more familiar to a foreign fanbase.

Whatever it is though, this list of players has figured out a way to beat the tyrannical storm-like feel of what looks to be a long lockout. They are using this time as a chance to become better businessmen, improve upon their basketball game, or even take a crack at another sport that could inadvertently help them improve upon certain aspects of their evolving basketball game.

10. Nene Hilario

Nene is one of those players who has decided to use his time during the lockout to play a sport tremendously popular to the Brazilian Beast's home country, soccer!

"I feel more close to Brazil (when I play)," said Nene, a native of São Carlos, Brazil. "I miss it so much, and my friends live there. But I can come here and play soccer and enjoy it. It's a sport I love. I grew up playing soccer. And I just get to have some fun."

He is also one of the most prized free agent big men to hit the market this summer (whenever negotiations start up again). Until that time though, he's getting back to his roots playing another sport he grew up loving and still enjoys to this day.

9. Brandon Jennings

Nicknames float around constantly with NBA players and I think "Gumby" is a fitting one for a crafty player like Brandon Jennings who can wind his way to the hoop and contort himself to near-elastic proportions. He is sporting his infamous "Gumby" haircut in this photo, which in all honesty I'd like to see him bring back. 

That all being said though, Jennings (regardless of his moniker) is keeping busy by interning with Under Armour, whom he just happens to endorse. Via Yahoo! Sports:

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He has use of the CEO’s tricked-out Jeep, an expense-paid condo and a glass-enclosed office overlooking the city’s inner harbor – complete with a name plate that announces his official position: “Curator of Cool.”

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Although one of the younger NBA players, he has seemed to be a wise businessman since entering the league—he is known for answering fans' tweets as he realizes it is a great way to make a good name for himself and build a fanbase.

Jennings isn't looking at the lockout as time lost as a basketball player, he's viewing it as time gained as a businessman.

8. Kobe Bryant

Black Mamba, the Closer, or just plain Kobe. Whatever it is you call him, Bryant is one of the players tearing up the courts during the lockout and he's not doing it quietly either.

Always an egotistical maniac hellbent on success, Bryant never takes a day off and some even wonder if the guy ever sleeps (if he does I bet you it's with his eyes open). He just gives us that kind of vibe that makes you wonder what's going on inside his brain; what makes this potent scorer tick?

Well one thing is scoring a ton of points; his average was 25.3 PPG last season. Not bad for a 32-year-old grizzled veteran who has 15 years of mileage on him.

While some players are sitting at home deciding where to play, Bryant was busy on the court dropping a sizzling 45 points at the highly acclaimed Drew League—draining the game-winner over the mega-bearded James Harden in the process.

Now we know why Bryant is still an elite scorer even after 15 years in the NBA; because even on his off time he's constantly perfecting his craft, making himself more unstoppable with every coming day.

He's played with all kinds of injuries too, Bryant would hobble out onto the floor on crutches and still somehow hit a fadeaway. Simply incredible.

7. JaVale McGee

Like Bryant, JaVale McGee is another player who isn't letting the lockout steal the beloved game of basketball away from him.

McGee had quite the notable performance as the lead scorer of the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend, finishing the game with 25 points.

Considering Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Tyreke Evans, James Harden, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose were playing in the same game, and that's really saying something.

6. James Harden

This is the guy who took the "Fear the Beard" campaign to a whole new level during the NBA playoffs last season, playing stellar defense on Kobe Bryant while also putting up some solid offensive contributions as well.

He is certainly on the rise and is looking more and more like the starting shooting guard the Oklahoma City Thunder thought he'd be. Like fellow teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Harden is keeping himself busy during the lockout.

Much like JaVale McGee, he made an appearance in the Philippines in the Smart All-Star weekend team, throwing down a ridiculous off-the-backboard pass from Kevin Durant for an earth-shattering slam.

Whenever the NBA season starts up again, I expect Harden to compete for most improved player of the year as his stellar performance during the 2011 playoffs seems to be a foreshadowing of things to come.

5. Russell Westbrook

While many of his fellow ballers are tearing up the hardwood, Westbrook is using the lockout as a chance to hit the books again.

Along with several Bruin alumni, including Kevin Love, Baron Davis and Trevor Ariza, Westbrook has gone back to UCLA and enrolled in some classes as a way to utilize the time they have off from basketball for something positive.

That's not to say any of them aren't preparing for the NBA season whenever it rolls around, but getting an education can only help, especially if they wind up pursuing coaching careers in the future. 

4. Kevin Love

Kevin Love has decided to do something more interesting than many of his fellow NBA players. Sure he's enrolled in classes, as was previously mentioned, with a bunch of other players over at UCLA, but he's doing something a little more intriguing than that.

He has decided to play pro volleyball during the lockout, "Jose Cuervo just came to me with the idea to play in their Beach Volleyball series and I just ran with it," said Love, to the Huffington Post..

Love is definitely not someone I'd want to be taking a spike from anytime soon. You have to give it to the guy—for someone with the body build of a mall security guard, he certainly keeps himself active.

If the Minnesota Timberwolves are smart, they won't let him get out of their sights when it comes time to re-sign him. His rebounding ability is uncanny and I'm sure his volleyball game is pretty solid too.

Carrying his rebounding ability into volleyball, he might be able to play as a one-man team. I wonder if anyone on his team ever gets to hit the ball? I highly doubt it, after seeing his monster 30-30 game last season against the New York Knicks.

3. Nick Young

Aside from the crazy jam he's throwing down here, Nick Young is out there proving a point to his nay-sayers regarding his ability offensive capabilities.

Bottom line is, if he ever did have anyone doubting his scoring ability, I have a feeling he turned them into believers by now.

Young scored 60 points in the Drew League affair. Digest that for a minute. Now add to the fact that he's on a team that has the freakishly athletic John Wall at point guard and up and coming monster JaVale McGee on his Washington Wizards team and it's hard to believe in a couple of seasons they won't figure out a way to compete for a playoff spot.

When the NBA returns to action, look for Young to be the breakout scorer. He's got potential written all over him and this jaw-dropping performance has us believing he's not waiting for the season to start. He's getting a head start on fulfilling that potential right now.

2. Blake Griffin

You need to inject some excitement into your basketball conversations, especially during lockout. And what better way than to talk about super-dunker Blake Griffin?

While plenty of players are displaying their talents all over the globe, Griffin is passing on what was given to him by doing this:

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"Blake Griffin hosted his first ever basketball camp for children in Oklahoma City. After the event, he retreated to his own personal space and engaged in a one hour training session."

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Those statements tell you everything you need to know about Griffin. He's a selfless athlete giving back to the fans, while also staying focused and remaining in shape to play professional basketball.

Everyone is waiting anxiously to see what kind of improvements Griffin can make to his game and what new dunks he has to show us as well!

I know you are all as likely starved for basketball as I am, so I posted a video of Griffin's top 10 throwdowns just to give you some happy memories of a season that feels like it ended years ago.

1. Kevin Durant

Out of all the players on this list, Durant has likely been the busiest when it comes to playing basketball.

He seems to be hitting every pro-am circuit, then you hear he's playing in China, the Philippines and talking about signing overseas in Russia or Turkey. The guy is everywhere!

That is not to mention the fact that he dropped 66 points at Rucker Park and stopped off at Dyckman too (just in case the 66 points in New York City's most highly acclaimed street ball court wasn't proof enough).

While he is certainly keeping his game sharp, he's also poised to star in a basketball role in a movie as well.

"Kevin Durant is ready for his close up. The Oklahoma City Thunder star is on the verge of finalizing a deal to star in a major Warner Bros. film," The Oklahoman reports.

"The film, which has a basketball subplot, has not yet been named, but it's scheduled to go into production in mid-September, according to sources."

I don't know about you but I'm interested to see if Durant can come up with a better on-screen basketball name than Jesus Shuttlesworth. I don't think he will either, but I'm certainly looking forward to seeing him try.