New York Liberty guard Marine Johannès balances her high-pressure WNBA schedule with grounding domestic routines like laundry and customized sleep recoveries in Brooklyn. Known as The Wizard
or La Magicienne,
the 31-year-old French basketball star starts her home game days at Barclays Center after waking up on a customized Helix mattress gifted to the team.
Morning Routines and Practice at Barclays Center
Johannès is not a morning person and admits that sometimes it’s hard to move in the morning.
Once she wakes up, she focuses on skincare—including face wash, serum, moisturizer, and SPF—and occasionally curls her hair before heading to Barclays Center for breakfast and practice.
Team breakfast options include traditional eggs, yogurt, and fruit, alongside hummus, tzatziki, pita, and vegetables. After practice, Johannès frequently orders a made-to-order smoothie containing peanut butter, chocolate, and whey protein. Because the team has an on-site chef, Johannès eats most of her meals at the arena during the season, though she also orders takeout from Thai, sushi, and Italian restaurants.
Therapeutic Chores and Game Day Focus
In the free hours before tipoff, Johannès avoids hotel downtime by leaning into chores in her Brooklyn apartment. I love cleaning, because it helps my mind,
she says. My favorite hobby is actually cleaning my apartment.
Cleaning helps slow her mind down when important games make her thoughts race. During the recent FIBA window, she found herself overthinking during the semi-finals and finals, leading her to seek ways to change her mind and think about something else. Now back in the States, her focus is fixed on the Liberty’s WNBA playoff run.
