 The latest edition of telehealth in Hawaii, my name is Vikram Acharya. I'm the Chief Executive Officer of Cloudwell Health, an all virtual telemedicine company based out of Hawaii. It's very rare that we have an opportunity to interact with an NBA champion. On this show, we have one. I am very happy to introduce, I'm honored to introduce Ms. Thoreau Desai. She is an athletic trainer with the Golden State Warriors. Thoreau, how are you today? I'm doing great. Thank you for having me. How are you doing? I'm doing good, I'm doing good. Thank you for being on the show. Much appreciated. Of course, of course. You were just part of a 2022 NBA championship team with the Golden State Warriors. You were there on the court, you celebrated with the team, and you're a trainer for the team. And that's very exciting and very unique. To get the conversation started, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? How you got to where you are, where you're from? We'll go from there. For sure. So to start, I was actually born and raised in the Bay Area. So this is home for me. I grew up in a small town called Orinda, went to high school there, did my undergrad at University of the Pacific in sports science, and then went directly to PT school at University of Southern California, worked for a year and decided to go back to school and got my master's in athletic training in Oklahoma. From there, did an internship with the Oklahoma City Thunder. So that's where I got really introduced to the NBA. And from there graduated, came back to California, worked at a high school for a year. And then after that, worked at UCLA for seven years. From there, I got a position here with the Golden State Warriors as one of their athletic trainers. And here I am now. That's amazing. You know, a lot of people aspire for positions like what you're doing with the Golden State Warriors. You're a physical therapist by background. What's the day in the life of a physical therapist for the Golden State Warriors? It must be pretty exciting stuff. Yeah, yeah. So my role was definitely two-fold. So first I started with the Santa Cruz Warriors and a day in the life would be anything from prepping them for a practice, having conversations with the coaches, covering practices. So if anything were, anybody were to be injured, just making sure they got tended to rehabs, post-practice treatments, post-practice. And those were just practice days. Game days were a little bit longer with practice in the morning and game day games at night. But the flow was pretty similar. So that was for athletes who were participating. And then of course, from my PT background, for those who were injured or coming back from surgery, I had the ability to create programs to get them back to full. So that was with Santa Cruz and with Golden State, it was similar in that I helped with practices, covering games, and I got the chance to go to Boston with them for the finals, which was incredible. So helping with everything on the road as well. And then everything in the summer league. So we just finished that in Las Vegas. And that, again, had to do with covering pre-practice treatments and rehabs and practices and then our summer league games as well. That's very interesting. Physical activity, you're around top athletes all the time. And looking at the way they prep, not only from a physical but mental standpoint, what are some key takeaways that you have found when working with athletes, specifically basketball players that a lot of people can do in daily life to improve their physical activity? I think the biggest thing is consistency. So sometimes, not just athletes, but all of us, it's easy to fall into sort of being idle, especially when you have some off-time or vacation time or things of that nature for us. It was like off days, but always doing something so that you're moving. You're doing something productive, even if for us who are not athletes, going on walks every day or having a timer. I mean, now there's so many smart things, like watches or phones that you can use to track the calories or your steps. So just making sure you hit certain goals, even if they're small every single day. So that's one thing, especially with athletes is just hitting certain marks. Of course, with them, it's more at an elite level, but nonetheless, it's just setting goals and being consistent with getting to those. Yeah, yeah. Now, when it comes to things like telemedicine, for example, telehealth, do you do any type of virtual work with the Warriors or do you feel like that's the future of how physical therapy is done, potentially, like the virtual space? I think that for us, it's a little bit different because there's so much in terms of having to disclose information to our GMs or coaches. So a lot of what we do, we try to do in person. However, during times like these, which all of our guys are now out somewhere in Europe or South America or somewhere, a lot of things have to be done virtually or through FaceTime because we just can't be everywhere. And so some of that is at least initiating it and then communicating maybe with who might be working with them in those separate countries. I definitely think that outside of like an NBA team, a lot of us do physical therapy virtually with patients across the country. And I think that that's a huge benefit just because a lot of people can't get to places. A lot of people may not have like the resources, but there are certainly a lot of things like you had mentioned earlier that you can do in the house that can help with your overall wellbeing. Yeah, what are some examples of things people can do in the house to improve their overall wellbeing? There are tons of just body weight exercises that you can do. And there's thousands on the internet that you can find that whether it's squats or push-ups or sit-ups, like we've all done something of that nature. If people have a treadmill at home or an exercise bike, that's easy. Or honestly, some people just do laps around their house. I mean, at least you're getting steps in. For us, as you know, we have a very large driveway. And so going up and down your driveway, doing something outdoors, getting some fresh air, doing some breathing exercises, some yoga, those are all things that you can certainly do in the house exercise-wise. And then there's tons of resources in terms of the nutritional things that you can do to help your overall wellbeing as well. Yeah, yeah. Now, talk me through like game day, for example, the players are about ready to take the court. You know, you got to make sure they're prepped, ready to go, primed, ready to go. What's that like for a trainer who's trying to get top NBA athletes, top players on the Warriors ready to take the court? What's that like? Well, it was pretty surreal when I started. But I mean, again, it just kind of goes back to consistency, making sure that every practice is important. And if every practice is treated as such, then games kind of follow suit. So making sure that energy stays and making sure that the guys are physically and mentally in the right place prior to entering the court. So it's definitely something that I was prepped for at UCLA. So the transition actually wasn't too difficult because my mentality was the same. And so, and all these athletes, the athletes that I worked with at UCLA were female and male and working into the NBA with it all being guys like mentality is pretty similar. They want to win. And we're there to help them reach their goal. So just making sure we bring that same energy and expectations and consistency again, that's what helped kind of get them to where they needed to be. Now, a lot of the players, is there a lot of consistency in the goals between the players or is it more of like one player has very different goals than others? Like is there some consistency that you work off of or is it pretty customized? I mean, everybody is so different as individuals. There are some guys on the team that are a little bit more outspoken about their goals. Some guys that are a little bit more quiet, but you appreciate everybody's differences. And I think ultimately, especially with the Golden State Warriors and Santa Cruz Warriors, the ultimate goal was to win basketball games. But one thing that I admire about kind of the framework of the Golden State Warriors is their biggest thing is bringing joy to the gym. So as much as you want to win, you got to do that in a way that brings you joy. And what brings me joy may be different than what brings a person next to me. So it's really finding those individual pieces. And I think if people can continue as much as they can with that mentality, I think that that helps with the overall goal of the organization. Yeah, you know, bringing joy to the gym, it's interesting to mention that about the Warriors because a lot has been written about the team culture there. You know, as a trainer, somebody who works very closely and very embedded in the organization, what type of positive attributes are there about the warrior team culture that you really identify? I think for me, being a first year athletic trainer with the organization, the thing that really sort of caught me off guard was because you hear about the great culture and you hear about so many positive things, but then when you experience it, and for me, it's, you know, there aren't too many women yet in my role, but being a woman of color on the performance team, I never felt like I was isolated. I was always included in a lot of things. As soon as I got there, Coach Kerr got to know me, understood my name, you know, learned my name, wanted to know how I was doing. Turns out we have some mutual friends, you know, like things like that where he really cared about who you were and he didn't have to do that. You know, who am I? I'm just somebody that's sort of new, but that kind of followed suit with everybody, whether it's a video coordinators, obviously my colleagues, but the athletes themselves too, you know, they kind of saw what their leaders in these different positions were doing and followed suit with that. So, and it's the consistency of that, you know, it wasn't just on day one, he said that and then paid me no mind. It was, he was like that throughout the whole season that I was there. That's amazing that, you know, Coach Kerr really just does a great job of connecting not only with the players, but also everybody on the staff as well, it sounds like. Yeah, for sure. And I mean, again, I worked with him and the Golden State team from pretty much April through now, but from October through April, even when I was with Santa Cruz, the same whole held true for all the athletes and we had a coach or we have a coach, his name is Seth Cooper. He was the exact same way. He was our head coach and he led the same way. You know, he really trusted me as soon as I started. He really valued me as a person. And I think that was like the easiest transition from one job to the other I've ever had. So made it very easy for me. You know, you grew up a big Warriors fan and you've always been a sports fan. Did you always have like long-term aspirations to work in the NBA, let alone an NBA champion? Did you kind of set some goals for yourself that this is where you wanna be at certain time markers in your life? For sure. I didn't have a timeline because when I was younger, it just seemed so far fetched. So I was like, I don't know when this is going to happen, but I'm gonna make sure this happens. And a lot of that stuff I kept to myself or I just told a few close friends because it seemed especially for like a five one Indian woman so far fetched when we were kids that I didn't really tell too many people, but I always had that in my mind that this is just something that I'm going to do. So. Yeah, because that requires a significant amount of determination and focus, you know? So you must have put a lot of hours into not only developing your craft as a physical therapist, but also the networking side as well, I would think, right? Yeah, for sure. I think for me, I always tell people you can be really skilled at what you do, but if you don't genuinely build good relationships and treat people well, it's only gonna take you so far. Like for me, I think that being able to connect with people is the biggest asset that you can be as a healthcare provider. Cause even for me with athletes, if I just know a lot of stuff, but I don't know how to put two and two together and connect with an athlete, there's that trust factor. So they won't trust me. Yeah, so it took a lot of that. A lot of blood, sweat, tears and consistency and perseverance and a lot of closed doors before getting one to open. You know, we talk a lot about, especially in healthcare to your point, the relationship with the patient. What is that like when you're treating a patient like an NBA champion? Is it, what's it like? I'm sure they confide in you and there's just a lot of, it's a very intense environment that you're working with to begin with, let alone trying to take care of a patient who's also an NBA champ and a top athlete, whether even at UCLA or for the Warriors and what's that relationship like? To be honest, it's treating people similarly. So like when I was a physical therapist for an outpatient clinic, it was a little different in that you see patients like two to three times a week, as opposed to two or three hours a day, seven days a week. But it's still treating people and getting to know people for who they are. These guys are NBA players and NBA champions, but they are great human beings first. And so really trying to get to know them like I did at UCLA and like I did in my outpatient facility, it's similar because they're people first. We're all people first and our profession kind of comes secondary or sometime after that. So my approach was pretty much the same. I just happened to be working with an NBA champion, but they were great guys first, you know? Yeah, you know, in your role, what keeps you up at night? What are some of the things that create, you know, a certain degree of stress when it comes to making, you know, when it comes to your job? I think like any healthcare professional, you always wanna make sure you're giving people the best. And so sometimes if like an outcome isn't exactly how you had foreseen it to be, I think that has been stressful in the past, but because I've gone through multiple things of that in my like 10 year career of being a physical therapist and athletic trainer, you find ways to compartmentalize it and figure out different avenues. And again, to your point about networking, making those phone calls with people who may have been able to deal with some of situations or outcomes. But those are things in the past that have kind of in some ways kept me up at night is making sure that I'm giving them the best or finding a solution if it didn't turn out as I wanted. Yeah, yeah. Is there a particular moment? Obviously there was a championship, but is there a moment that you reflect on more as a physical therapist where something that very memorable a very memorable experience you had taking care of a patient that you'd like to share with us? Yeah, I mean, for me, a lot of those came at UCLA because I was there for seven years. So some of these athletes I saw from when they were freshmen to seniors and I know I had a couple athletes who I had to rehab back from a surgery to full go. And one of the coolest moments is one of those athletes starting with a surgery in the summer and then fast forward to May and us doing a whole lot of rehab every single day winning a national championship. And that athlete being one of the top players that was the she won an award and all of that. So I think that was my biggest selfishly I felt like I was a small part. She obviously did all the work but being able to be a part of that journey was pretty incredible and gratifying, you put all that. But in addition to that, it's just again, all the stuff that you don't realize that you're doing that you hear, I get texts from my athletes from now like NDA, but also my UCLA athletes who still remember some of the things that I taught them and they're utilizing it in their own ways. Like some of my athletes are playing abroad or playing for USA. And so just that's also pretty nice to know that they were listening and they're taking the tools and using it in a way that in their sport they're able to kind of dominate. Yeah, that's wonderful. You know, we've talked a little bit about the steps that people can do physically to take care of themselves. Now from your experience on the mental health side the psychology, psychological aspects of improving oneself, being a great athlete. What types of techniques and things have you seen that top athletes have used and that we can do on a regular basis to improve our mental health? For sure. I mean, I think we all know of a ton of different apps that are out there that help with breathing or just slowing your mental side down especially before going to bed. So breathing exercises, meditation, yoga obviously some people truly benefit from talking to somebody else so whether that's seeing a psychologist, psychiatrist so those types of things finding somebody to talk to really journaling. There are so many ways that you can help your own mental health and everybody's different. So what may work for me may not necessarily work for you or somebody else but that's what I've seen and I'm really happy to know that it's becoming a lot more spoken about. And so there's not this as much of a stigma in terms of that for everybody whether an athlete or non-athlete just across the board. So you're seeing, that's an interesting point. So you're seeing about equal emphasis on the physical aspects for athletes as well as the mental health it's becoming about the same in terms of how athletes are preparing. Yeah, and I think the best thing about that is athletes are advocating for it. It's not just healthcare providers but once you see athletes advocating like when I was at UCLA I would initiate certain things but it was my athletes who would take off and once an athlete sees their teammate speaking up about it and feeling like it's okay it just became like a domino effect. And so I think that that's probably the most powerful thing that I've seen between when I started this profession and now. Yeah, you're breaking barriers across the board. You described, you're in terms of gender in terms of race, in terms of goals for people who want to aspire to where you want to do the things that you're doing now to get to this stage. What advice would you give them for those that want to achieve levels that you are achieving now? I would say that be prepared for a lot of hard work but as long as you're persistent, consistent and genuine in your intentions I mean, you can achieve anything. If I could get here I feel like everybody can get here as long as you put in the work for it and above all else, like I've always said like treat people well. And I'll always say that, it's a lot of what happened and the doors that I've opened are because I just happened to network and become close with people and genuine. I tried to build genuine relationships to where I think at UCLA a lot of things happened and I was able to become close with people because of who I was and just being consistent with that. And I've always said I will never step on somebody to get to where I am. So just, I would just give that advice because it's a cutthroat environment. But just understand that that's kind of the direction that a lot of sports are going into is hiring good people. So I'm not saying force yourself to be a good person just be genuine in what you're doing, know what you don't know and whatever you don't know, feel free to seek out resources for it but just be consistent and persistent and understand that you'll have some doors closed on you but just keep pushing and eventually one will open. Yeah, yeah, there's obviously people experience setbacks or like you said, the door was closed a couple of times. How did you respond to that when the door was closed? What was your, how did you take it in and how did you channel that energy to say, look, I'm not gonna be held back. I have goals I wanna pursue. I'm gonna do it. How'd you go about doing that when the doors were initially closed for you? For sure. I mean, not to lie, but I was, it was tough. Initially just you feel defeated. You feel like you're not sure if you wanna continue and but then having good people around to really bounce ideas off of and allowing yourself to feel those feelings I think is important. I think a lot of times people are like, oh, just brush it off. I think it's important to understand what you feel and then understand what your goals are and then being able to change your mindset. Like, okay, so this team didn't want me. Let me figure out who they hired and what that person has that I don't have. Like maybe there's a skill set. Maybe my interviewing was not as great. Like, okay, what are some things I can do better instead of sulking about the fact that I didn't get it. So it's okay to be upset for a day or two. But I think that after that you gotta find a solution. You gotta find solutions to change your outcome. So and sometimes it's multiple times. It wasn't just one or two doors that were shut. There were dozens of doors that were shut before one got open. So it's like fine tuning that maybe figuring out what it is and talking to people. And I now have quite a few mentors who are in the NBA and just bouncing that off of them. Like, what do you think I should do? What are some things that are out there that I'm not knowing and how can I research? What are some skills I can, what are some certifications I can get or skills I can develop? Just always trying to make yourself better is kind of my approach after that. Yeah, I always think about these athletes like it could be like Michael Jordan, for example, where their game adapted over time. What used to be like, I'm just gonna take it to the basket. I'm gonna try and dunk every time. Later in his career became a lot more focused on jump shots, fade away jump shots. And it looks like you did the same thing. Evolve, take the feedback and then just improve yourself going forward and not be defeated. For sure. I mean, I think that's with anybody in their profession. If you wanna fine tune your craft, whether you're an athlete or a healthcare provider, whatever it is, if that's truly what you wanna do, then be open to feedback. I think that's where sometimes people get scared if somebody gives you feedback, sometimes people shut down, instead of taking it, obviously it should be constructive, but taking it and saying, okay, this might be something that I should be able to add to my repertoire or get better at. Yeah, yeah. Now, with all this that you got going on in your spare time, what do you like to do? How do you keep yourself? And when you're not on the court, what are your activities? I love when I can, finding time to just hang out with some friends. Like I don't necessarily like going out, but I love having people over, going to people's homes, catching up with old friends, whether it's high school, college, childhood friends, it's like my favorite thing. Like having people over making dinner, obviously working out as a big one too. When I have time, that's something that I try to do because I do like to eat well. So it's just finding that balance, making sure that I take care of my body as well. So, oh, and travel. Travel is another big one for me too. That's awesome. You know, Thoril, it's, you know, we've known each other a long time, but your perseverance, your dedication to your craft, your dedication to the people around you, you've come so far, you know, to be able to hoist an NBA trophy as the trainer for the Golden State Warriors and everything you've gone through to get to this point. I mean, I just really wanna thank you for being on the show and talking about your experiences. I mean, it's just, it's an incredible story, not just to hear about, but for many people to learn from, you know, breaking barriers, overcoming obstacles, becoming a champion, but also having the humility and just the way you've carried yourself. I mean, it's really incredible and I just can't thank you enough for being on the show. Well, I appreciate you so much, Vic. And I appreciate the support that you and Shanti have given me through the years. It's been incredible. So I'm very grateful and grateful to be here on your show too. Yeah. Now, we thank you so much. Wish you all the best and thank you for providing your insight. Thank you. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechawaii.com. Mahalo.