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.