An NBA champion; an Olympic gold medalist; a legendary defender on the court. No one has “basketball brain” quite like Jrue Holiday, an all-star player and the point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks who, in his first season with the team, helped lead them to the 2020 NBA Finals and then win it all. As if all that wasn’t enough, he’s also an incredible person, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with him after the NBA season to chat about the game, his life, and his experiences wearing our smart compression sleeves.

Jrue’s impressive career in the NBA began when he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round in 2009. He spent four years with the Sixers, including one year as an All-Star; seven years with the New Orleans Pelicans, including three years as an NBA All-Defensive team member; and is in his second year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he became an NBA champion for the first time.

Throughout these years, Jrue has proven himself an exemplary defensive player, known especially for his lockdown coverage in the defence zone. Make no mistake—Jrue Holiday is an all-star kind of player, with incredible talent and exceptional focus for his goals.

We first met Jrue Holiday at the beginning of his 2020 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and everyone involved was excited to see how our sleeve could help the rising star block out distractions and find even more focus.

A big part of being good at defence is being able to read and very quickly react to what your opponent is doing on the court. Jrue agrees.

“To be the best at the game,” he says, “you have to be able to focus. When you step between those lines, you have to block out all the noise."

"There can’t be distractions.”

Focus and calm are important at any level of play—but they are crucial at the highest level.

“eSmartr’s smart compression sleeves help keep you focused and give you the mental edge to get in the zone quicker and stay in the zone longer.”

This is why we’re so excited to be partnered with Jrue! By improving the ability of the brain’s cognitive networks to communicate, wearing our sleeve’s technology reduces stress and improves focus.

Jrue describes this feeling as “getting over the hump” of being in a bad mood, not feeling like practicing, or similar barriers to playing his best. “Someone out there is putting in the work to come for your spot,” he says. “Without focus, that spot won’t be yours for long.”

“It’s hard to get to the top,” he adds. “But it’s even harder to stay there once you do.”

eSmartr exists to provide an alternative, natural solution for focus and stress, and Jrue Holiday is a perfect example of how this concept applies to sports, even at the very highest level. As an Olympic gold medalist and an NBA all-star and champion, Jrue Holiday is at the literal top of his game, but even here, there’s room for a little extra focus.

That’s what eSmartr is here for, which is why we are thrilled to be working with the champion, and wish him the best of luck in his next season with the NBA!