Beno Udrih

Balance.

As a professional basketball player, it’s an incredibly difficult concept to achieve -- especially when 28 days of every month of the season are spent practicing, traveling and battling against the world’s best basketball players.

Though no easy task, the Sacramento Kings try to achieve some sort of personal and professional balance throughout the course of an 82-game schedule.

“We spend so much time just thinking about basketball, even when we’re not playing,” Kings center Spencer Hawes said as he sat at his locker. “When you’re on the road, it’s the focus the entire time. You have to do other things as well.”

Activities and interests outside the game allow players to find stability amidst the grind of the season.

“I just bought a new set of clubs last year so I took up golf,” Hawes said of his newly-discovered hobby.

The sophomore big man is no stranger to the sport that originated in Scotland. He started playing when he was eight-years-old, but took a leave of absence after an equipment mishap.“I retired for a little stretch because I broke my clubs,” the Kings center said with a smirk.

Maintaining a sense of normalcy helps players unwind away from the game. Kings point guard Beno Udrih enjoys watching TV, just like any other 26-year-old. The fifth-year guard is a fan of such shows as "Lost," "Prison Break" and "Entourage," but stays away from one category of television programming.

"My wife and I talk about anything and everything as long as it’s not basketball.”

~ Kings power forward Mikki Moore

“Basically, I cannot watch basketball on my TV,” Udrih said. “If I see any of it, I’d only like to see the last five minutes of the game.”

His viewing entertainment isn’t limited to his living room. Udrih likes to visit the movie theater when time permits as well.

“I watch all kinds of movies,” Udrih, who recently watched the comedy “Role Models,” said. “I just don’t like to watch scary movies.”

Udrih’s teammate, John Salmons, shares a similar sentiment to the world of cinema. The Kings starting small forward is a self-proclaimed movie buff who regularly sees the newest releases during the season.

Mikki Moore

“I just watched "Saw V" and "Max Payne,"" Salmons said. “They were so-so.”

Although somewhat discouraged from the aforementioned films, Salmons already has a new release on his radar, which comes out this week.

"Definitely going to check out the new ’James Bond,’" Salmons said. “I’m not a big ’James Bond‘ fan, but I saw the last one and I like this new guy who plays him.”

Besides taking in the latest releases, Salmons relies heavily on his family to keep him grounded. His wife, Taneisha, and newborn son, Josiah, provide respite throughout the NBA calendar.

“I think one of the biggest things they’re here for is to help me get away from the job every now and then,” Salmons said of his family. “That’s why I always talk about my wife and my son. Along with God, they’re all I really have.”

Spending time with loved ones can keep players level-headed throughout an arduous season. Family and friends lend shoulders to lean on during the season’s ups and downs.

“My wife and I talk about anything and everything as long as it’s not basketball,” Kings power forward Mikki Moore said.

Like his fellow teammate, the 11-year veteran has a close-knit family. He has the comfort and reliability of people such as his wife, Kymyra, who is expecting a child in December. From politics, to music and even his love of restoring vintage cars -- the Moore's discuss a wide range of topics.

“We even talk about other family members,” Moore said with a laugh.

Spencer Hawes

Unlike a typical job, family and friends often witness players in their work environment. So separating business and private life can be a balancing act in itself.

“A lot of times, you bring the game home with you,” Shelden Williams said. “Especially if you come from a basketball family, it’s going to be talked about.”

Keeping his mind off hoops is a complicated situation for the third-year forward, who is engaged to the Los Angeles Sparks’ Candace Parker. Having a superstar fiancé only adds to the scrutiny of being an NBA player. Trying to get away from the game every now and then can be difficult since both play the high-profile sport.

“When people know that you play basketball for a living, they’re going to talk about it regardless of whatever you do anyway,” the former Duke Blue Devil said. “That’s just one of the struggles right there.”

With countless hours put into improving one’s game, the pursuit of balance is just as demanding as the quest for NBA success. But the satisfaction from finding equilibrium is just as immeasurable as the reward of reaching NBA achievement.