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Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and NBPA president Chris Paul says the most “eye-opening” part of the resumption-of-the-season process was how critical communication is and how hard NBA players have worked to improve that communication.
Players Union chief Michele Roberts added she “can’t imagine anything healthier” than the spirited discussions players had over how to include social justice concerns in the NBA restart.
Chris Paul: "There's a lot of hard conversations that had to be had, and that was huge for players." He says the most "eye-opening" part of the process was how critical communication is, and how hard players have worked to improve that communication.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 26, 2020
Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley were two of the main players who were concerned that the return of sports would take the attention off of the Black Lives Matter movement following the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
However, there are also a number of NBA players who believe they can use their platforms even more with the NBA returning since they will be able to speak out on racial injustices during their virtual press conferences with the media.
The “bubble” games are set to begin on July 30 at Walt Disney World. Chris Paul and the Thunder will be among the 22 teams saying at the Walt Disney Resort. On the same conference call with reporters, Paul acknowledged that players' mental health will be very important during the “bubble” games.
Before the season was suspended in March, Paul was averaging 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in his first year with the Thunder. The 10-time All-Star was also shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from beyond the arc and 90.0 percent from the free-throw line.
