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Elite performance isn’t built in the weight room alone. It’s built in the gray area between rehab, readiness, and long-term durability — and few people understand that space better than Dr. Tyler Lesher.
On this episode of the Playbook HQ Podcast, we sat down with Lesher to unpack his path from small-town Wyoming gym rat to NBA performance therapist, his work with elite athletes, and the systems he uses to bridge rehab and peak performance.
Lesher’s journey started like many in sports performance — obsessed with training, basketball, and competition. After shoulder injuries ended his playing career, he pivoted into athletic training and strength & conditioning, chasing one clear goal: work at the highest level of basketball.
That path took him through junior college, graduate school, and eventually into the NBA, with stops at the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and UCLA Bruins men’s basketball.
Today, Lesher runs a private performance practice, working one-on-one with NBA athletes (currently Dallas Mavericks Caleb Martin) — the kind of role he first saw modeled by LeBron James’ longtime performance therapist Mike Mancias.
One of Lesher’s core beliefs is simple but powerful:
The only difference between rehab and performance is the presence of an injury.
Instead of separating the two, his approach treats rehab as performance training with constraints — emphasizing movement quality, tissue health, and readiness rather than arbitrary timelines.
This philosophy is what led him to create ARC (Advanced Rehab Certification) — an education platform designed to help clinicians bridge the gap between textbook theory and real-world elite performance.
Lesher doesn’t chase trends — he adopts tools that deliver repeatable results.
Some of the tech he relies on most:
The common thread? Portability, compliance, and practical impact.
Lesher draws inspiration far beyond sports medicine. He cites Steve Jobs for his ability to see problems through a different lens, and performance thinkers like Dan Foley and USC performance coach Andre Mattson for shaping how he approaches inflammation, fascia, and long-term athlete health.
His advice to young practitioners?
Own every role you’re given. The reps you don’t want often build the skill set you’ll need later.
Nutrition
Supplements
Recovery & Wellness
Philosophy
Track long enough to learn. Then trust your body.
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