Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis was among the many players who got a glimpse of “The Arena,” the main court for nationally televised games and one of the three available in the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando.
The Lakers big man saw the words “Black Lives Matter” across the sidelines and the various signage to spread awareness, signifying the NBA as a solid ally in the fight against racism and social injustice.
Via Joe Vardon of The Athletic:
“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Davis, who will debut in a scrimmage Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. “To have the big monitors where you can have your family friends, fans, whoever kind of be in the arena, I think that’s a pretty dope idea. I think they’re still trying to figure out some things as far as lighting and the sound and stuff, but I think the whole concept of it is pretty dope.”
The Lakers will be one of the first teams to play on that court, one that will be christened by the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers, who start play right at 3 p.m. on Wednesday as the very first scrimmage in the bubble.
Scrimmages at the HP Field House and the VISA Athletic Center — Disney World's two other venues — will also be broadcast during the next few days, as the league revs up for a July 30 resumption of the 2019-20 season.
Players’ families and friends might be shown on the video boards, a welcome addition to break away from the muted state of fanless arenas. The league is still tinkering with the possibility of using fake crowd noise or music during the games, or opting for the natural court sounds — which would come with the risk of players’ swearing, shoes squeaking, nets swooshing, and definitely a lot of rim clanking after a long hiatus.
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