Coronavirus locks down the NBA

By Edwin LaCroix

COVID-19 took the world by storm, shutting down everything in its path. With the world of entertainment gone, citizens have been forced to look to their phones for the escape from life that was given by sports and the NBA gave many Americans that escape.

The league was officially suspended March 11 and the next day NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared live on NBA TNT with a response. “I think we’re at the point where this has been declared a pandemic. That it’s virtually impossible to contain it,” said Silver.

Earlier on that Tuesday, league owners spoke to former U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy to gain a better understanding of the pandemic and how it would affect the league, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Some players had already tested positive before the season was officially put on ice. This executive decision was made to safeguard players and fans.

Following the suspension, Adam Silver released an official statement regarding COVID-19. The future of the NBA remains up in the air and there aren’t any plans in place to officially resume the season. If the commissioner decides to resume the season, the league would struggle to acclimate. An abbreviated version of the season is likely, which would satisfy the league and fans alike.

A bit of good news followed all the bad. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, the late Kobe Bryant and others have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2020.

The immediate precautions taken in response to the virus is a testament to the leadership of the league. Only time will tell how the landscape of the NBA will shape out to be, but until then the safety and health of the players and coaching staff will remain top priority.