This year, the Muslim holiday of Ramadan is expected to stretch from March 12th to April 9th. During this time, Muslims must fast every day from dawn to sunset. Fasting requires abstinence from eating and drinking, among other things.

Last night, Kyrie Irving, a man of Muslim faith and an NBA All-Star, hit the game-winning shot in the Mavericks win against the 1-seed Denver Nuggets. In his postgame presser, he shed light on his observance of Ramadan, “To be able to play 48 minutes and not do it without having any drink or any food is nothing short of a miracle.”

Irving is not the first player to use his platform to talk about his experience during Ramadan. During the 2022 NBA playoffs, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics made headlines for fasting. NBA Legend Hakeem Olajuwon was very vocal about his fasting experience, “I feel lighter, faster, much more mentally focused.”

Even before Olajuwon, there was Lew Alcindor. Never heard of him? What about his Muslim name, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar? Does that ring any bells? He was very intent on changing perceptions of Islam after his conversion at the age of 24.

In the European soccer leagues, it is not uncommon for games to pause for players to break their fast.

I couldn’t imagine going to work without eating, so for these athletes to perform at their peak while doing it is nothing short of magical.