Most businesses in the world are not business as usual in the face of a deadly coronavirus pandemic. The NBA is certainly no different.
Games suspended, front office remotely working, players forced to work out by themselves and create social media content to keep busy while in social distancing and isolation – it’s the temporary new normal of NBA life.
“We’re trying to figure out this new normal,” admits Bucks reporter Zora Stephenison on WTMJ’s Wisconsin’s Afternoon News Friday.
So when will the NBA return to normalcy? And how?
Stephenson dived into numerous aspects of such a return, including the not-so-normal idea of possibly playing games with no crowds, and perhaps not in arenas, but places like airport hangars with quarantining.
“I don’t know if anyone knows exactly how that would be. It’s hard to picture something you’ve never seen before,” she said.
“Safety is the number one priority.”
Additionally, there is the question of the amount of time necessary for players to return to in-season shape versus normal “shape” for average human beings.
“Everybody is doing the best they can…but there’s nothing to replicate game shape. The only thing that can do that is games, or at least really strenuous practices,” she said.
“I would love to have some pick-up games before I have to play games that actually count. There are scrimmages you can do in practice. It would be interesting to see, if things get going, how much time they need.”