Cleveland Clinic and National Basketball Players Association Partner to Advance Athlete Performance and Innovation

July 24, 2026, CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK - Cleveland Clinic and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced a collaboration, aimed at advancing athlete performance and innovation across professional basketball.

The partnership tips off this week, making Cleveland Clinic the official Performance Partner of The Sanctuary, a PLYRS UNTD offseason performance retreat for NBA players in Andalucia, Spain. At The Sanctuary, NBA players will have access to the latest research from Cleveland Clinic to make informed decisions around their performance and enhance offseason training regimens.

“Cleveland Clinic's expertise in sports performance makes it an ideal partner to ensure our players have the latest research and insights to make informed decisions,” said Matteo Zuretti, Chief Player Experience Officer at the NBPA. “Bringing the Clinic’s excellence into the unique platform we’ve curated at The Sanctuary over the last four years empowers our players to maximize their offseason training.”

As part of the collaboration, Cleveland Clinic will also serve as the Presenting Partner of the PLYRS Performance Summit at The Sanctuary, July 22-24. Launched in 2023, the Performance Summit brings together athletes and leaders across sport, performance and technology to explore opportunities and developments around athlete health and performance data. The Performance Summit focuses on key areas relevant to athlete performance, including biomechanics, regenerative medicine, developments in sport technology, and more.

The partnership will also lead to the creation of a new committee to assess opportunities to advance innovation in athlete health data and sports performance. Together with Sports Data Labs, Cleveland Clinic and the NBPA will explore athlete-owned data infrastructure, technology platforms, and predictive performance insights.

“The future of athlete care extends far beyond treating injuries," said Paul Saluan, M.D., director of Strategic Initiatives and Clinical Development for the Global Peak Performance Center at Cleveland Clinic. “This partnership brings together two organizations committed to helping athletes perform at their highest level while prioritizing their long-term health. We have a unique opportunity to connect directly with players, share our expertise in sports medicine and performance, and help advance new approaches that support athletes throughout their careers and beyond.”

The collaboration aligns with Cleveland Clinic’s work on the Global Peak Performance Center, an innovative hub focused on advancing human performance through world-class sports medicine, research, technology, and recovery services set to open next year. The GPPC will provide care for athletes of all ages and abilities. Insights gained through the partnership will help shape future athlete-focused programs and reinforce the center’s mission to improve health, performance, and longevity for athletes at all levels.

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About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation, Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 83,000 employees worldwide are more than 6,600 salaried physicians and researchers, and 21,900 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,725-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2025, there were 15.9 million outpatient encounters, 343,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 336,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Editor’s Note: Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide broadcast-quality interviews and B-roll upon request.

 

About the NBPA  

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and advance the rights of our players. They are the game.

The NBPA Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members by supporting and assisting people, communities and organizations worldwide. It spotlights and amplifies the global initiatives of professional basketball players, driving positive change through community building, charitable endeavors and social entrepreneurship. For more information, visit www.nbpa.com and follow @thenbpa on social.

About PLYRS UNTD

PLYRS UNTD is the consumer-facing commercial brand of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), managing the collective name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for over 500 NBA players. At PLYRS UNTD, the more than 500 current NBA players collaborate as a group directly with industry leaders to channel their collective influence into global products, international group licensing, off-court content, and innovative fan experiences. Coming soon, you can find more information on www.PLYRSUNTD.com and follow @PLYRSUNTD on social channels.