After a long day of classes, studying and practice a basketball player needs a place where he can go to get away from it all. But when it comes to comfort, the athletes don't need to look far away from the court.

"We're about to step in to the James B. Nutter, Jr. locker room. This is where me and my 13 compadres get ready for practices and games," said Missouri freshman guard Kim English of the MU locker room.

Just walk into the Missouri locker room and you'll see how comfort is key.

"The word Coach kept using, whether it was about the campus or the facilities or Mizzou Arena or anything was unbelievable," said Missouri assistant coach Matt Zimmerman.

For English the locker room isn't just a place to relax during the day.This summer he's turned it into a home away from home.

"I stayed up here and I shot late at nights. So, after we'd play, I'd just shower, I'd call Dominoes and they'd deliver to the concourse," said English.

And if he craves something a little healthier, he can get that too.

"We get smoothies after every conditioning session. They are the best. You get peach or strawberry. I'm a strawberry guy myself," said English.

"I thought it was good in a lot of ways because you're not used to having kids do that. It was kind of inspiring to some of the guys that he was willing to do that," said Zimmerman.

The freshman doesn't only sleep at the stadium for comfort, it all started out of convenience.

"I got up, I still got to shoot before weights. Then I'd just wear a sweat suit to class. So, saving my legs," said English.

"When Kimmie stayed here, his locker looked like his closet," said Missouri junior guard Zaire Taylor.

"I still have my sleeping pants from when I sleep up here. These are the ones (shoes) we lost to the Illini in. So, never again. Let's put them deep in here," said English of the shoes he wore in the Illinois loss December 23rd in St. Louis.

"When you first get here being able to have access to a gym 24 hours, it's almost addicting," said Taylor.

"We got recliners that they can sit down and hit a button and reclines them back, that's pretty nice. Sometimes it is too nice, but that's our job as coaches to keep them humble," said Zimmerman.

The Mizzou Arena hermit occasionally spends the night during the season. Just staying in tough with his new friends.

"There are people in here in nighttime. There are people in here every night. I know all the janitors," said English.

"You think you're by yourself and than all of sudden you start hearing some noises around," said Zimmerman.

"There's no ghosts in here, It was made in '03. There's no ghosts in here," said English.

Taylor spent the night at Mizzou Arena on New Years Eve. He said he wanted to be with his true love, basketball.

Zimmerman says he's spent the night in every office he's ever worked, but Mizzou Arena is the best.