Triton Poker Vietnam star Jason Koon recently sat down with Sporting News Australia and discussed his illustrious professional poker career, his past as an athlete, and his strict nutritional regimen. He also spoke in detail about the state of poker, how online players often struggle in live tournaments, and the traits of the best and most consistent players in the world.
A West Virginia native, the 37-year-old elaborately detailed how his athleticism helped open up opportunities for him — and what his past lessons in and around track and field have taught him about himself both as a person and a poker player.
Koon also opened up about the psychological components of poker, and how having a scientific and mathematical brain can only help so much in live poker. And he clearly believes that these elements of the game will continue to help high-stakes live tournaments thrive despite the ever-rising popularity of online games.
"That's the beauty of poker," Koon explained candidly. "It's this giant, beautiful collage of tons of different elements that can create a winning, monstrous poker player. It's a beautiful game because there's still several different ways to carve out a win."
Among many other subjects, Koon also talked about his five favorite athletes, his friendship with Warriors star Draymond Green, and the poker pros he respects the most. Check out this all-encompassing interview, a brief dive into a beautiful poker mind, below.