DENVER -- It's almost midnight after the Denver Nuggets' recent come-from-behind victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The locker room, initially chaotic after Kenyon Martin was the unhappy victim of an April Fools prank, has quieted as Arron Afflalo gets dressed. The 24-year-old is one of the last players to leave but promises he'll be back at the Pepsi Center by 8 a.m. the next day.
The chiseled 6-5 guard wants to work out before practice, he explains, even though practice isn't scheduled until 11 a.m. And if there's time, he'll fit in a few rounds of his other sport of choice: pingpong.
Many pro athletes claim to be table tennis aficionados, and Afflalo is no different, boasting an undefeated record of "somewhere around 49-0" ("I don't know about that," teammate Carmelo Anthony laughs when told Afflalo's self-proclaimed streak). Rumor has it there's a video of teammate Nene besting Afflalo on one of the dual tables inside the players' lounge. Afflalo grins while denying his teammate's W, a rare boast from one of Denver's most humble talents.
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He's a pros' pro. This guy's rock solid...
