Boris Diaw: The cappuccino-drinking freak athlete

Boris Diaw just might be the most interesting man in the NBA.

Unsurprisingly to those familiar with the quirky Frenchman, a cappuccino machine can be found in the big man's locker in the San Antonio Spurs' AT&T Center dressing room.

His affinity for classy caffeinated beverages is nothing new, apparently, as a young Diaw once put his freakish athleticism on display with a stomach full of traditional Italian coffee.

The story, according to ESPN's Marc Stein:

The capper comes from Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin, who, like Quinter, was an integral part of the Suns' front-office team when Diaw was acquired in a sign-and-trade for Joe Johnson orchestrated by then-Suns personnel chief Bryan Colangelo.

"Boris walks into the gym one day wearing flip-flops and holding his customary cappuccino, which was a staple for him every morning," Griffin recalled. "It was during pre-draft workouts, so he sees the Vertec (machine) and asks what it is.

"We tell him it measures your vertical leap by determining how many of the bars you can touch. He asks what's the highest anyone has ever gone, and we tell him Amar'e (Stoudemire) cleared the entire rack.

"Boris puts down the cappuccino, takes off his flip-flops, and clears the entire rack on the first try. Then he calmly puts his flip-flops back on, picks up his cappuccino, and walks away, saying, 'That was not difficult.'"

Hard to believe this was the same Diaw who currently looks like Jared Sullinger's portly cousin.

He wasn't always the round-bellied baller we've come to know and love in recent years, however.

Related: Tony Parker cracks wise about Boris Diaw's weight

The 33-year-old was once a svelte "point forward" before ballooning to the point where the Spurs felt the need to implement weight-related incentives in his contract.

In spite of his refined palate and rotund physique, Diaw has managed to stay "fit" enough to put up respectable numbers for the dominant Spurs during the twilight of his career - a feat which has effectively silenced his critics.

After all, what other 275-pound ball-handlers with a championship ring do you know?