NBA Players Debate the Bubble

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 15 June 2020

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With approval from the players union, the NBA's plan for a 22-team restart in Orlando seemed like it was all systems go. Then, a group call surfaced deeper concerns from many players about health and safety protocol, and who would (or wouldn't) face restrictions on life in the Orlando "bubble." That conversation included discussion that a return to play would stall the momentum around the anti-racism movement that has accelerated since the killing of George Floyd. ESPN's Brian Windhorst breaks down what's happened along the path to basketball's comeback. We start the with the player side, then detail what we know about the NBA's plans for virus testing, logistics and other realities -- if a late July start stays on track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is a league that's had Popovich and Steve Kerr.
0:03.4	In so many moments after Trayvon Martin, after all these other events that have happened, they've been out.
0:09.8	They've been public about their concerns.
0:12.5	They have led the way.
0:14.3	So I don't want the NBA to lose that position and lose any of the momentum.
0:18.9	And they have proven that in season and out of season, people look to the NBA and the players of the momentum. And they have proven that in season and out of season,
0:22.8	people look to the NBA and the players in the league and say,
0:25.5	what do you think?
0:26.4	Because they respect their position.
0:32.5	Last week, it seemed like the NBA was headed towards a smooth restart.
0:38.0	Then, news broke that a few players, led by net star Kyrie Irving, were pushing back,
0:44.7	raising questions about the plan and whether it would detract from the social movement against racism.
0:50.8	Today, Brian Windhorst tells us what went down and explains why the league's path to coming back, already a tall order, just got a bit more complicated.
1:01.8	I'm Mina Kimes. It's Monday, June 15th. This is ESPN Daily, presented by Marathon.
1:12.6	Hey, Brian. Hey, and how are you?
1:14.6	Well, confused because last week when we talked to Zach Lowe, we seemed to be on track for an
1:22.1	NBA restart in late July.
1:24.5	The player's executive committee and board proved a plan from the league. We're talking
1:29.1	about the format, 22 teams, the bubble or the campus or whatever you want to call it. Everything
1:34.5	seemed sewn up. Then on Friday, everything changed. What happened? Well, Kyrie Irving and a number
1:43.2	of other players encouraged there to be a discussion
1:47.1	amongst players before anything moved forward.
	...

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