Could NBA players feel like they are on house arrest during the “bubble” games down in Orlando, Florida since they aren’t allowed to leave the Walt Disney World campus?
Dr. Stephen Gonzalez, the executive board member for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, thinks that is just one issue NBA players are facing once the “bubble” games begin on July 30.
“It’s unchartered waters,’’ Gonzalez told Marc Berman of the New York Post.
“The Olympics, you need to have all their movements tracked with security details and it hampers your freedom. It’s a small amount of what’s to happen with basketball. They’re restricted to where they can eat. They’re giving up a lot of freedom to do this.
“There’s going to be an initial excitement and motivation to follow the rules. Eventually, it’s like a New Year’s resolution. You diet and, after a week or two, you revert back to habits. Our (NBA) athletes are going to revert back to what they like things to be. I think it’s going to be a lot of struggle and stress.”
Players from the 22 NBA teams partaking in the resumption of the season have been informed that anyone who leaves the Orlando campus will be subject to a 10 to 14-day self-quarantine, reduction in compensation for games missed, and enhanced COVID-19 testing.
Even though odds are NBA players are going to listen to the rules and stay inside the bubble, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. In fact, it could be mentally draining for guys to be stuck in one place and away from their families during these unprecedented times.
The “bubble” games are set to start on July 30, with the 22 teams scheduled to play in eight seeding games before the 2020 NBA playoffs start.
Before the 2019-20 season was suspended in March, the Milwaukee Bucks had the best record in the NBA, while the Los Angeles Lakers were atop the West standings.
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