Analysis by Albert Geokgeuzian, Staff Writer 

October 15th, 2020

The first NBA player to test positive for COVID was Rudy Gobert, back in early March. On the day Gobert tested positive, March 11th, the NBA suspended the season for an estimated four months - yet there was no guarantee that the season would resume. What could they do?

Could they safely continue the season? Could they play without fans? What precautions can they take? What about the money? What about the TV deals? These were the kinds of questions that the NBA was faced with. Fast forward 6 months ahead and we are currently in the middle of the NBA finals, the matches that will crown the NBA champion. So how did it happen?

The NBA is different from most other leagues, whereas in other leagues the teams take center stage, in the NBA the entire league is based around the players. For example, in MLB people know the Yankees, or the Red Sox, or in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys are known, the New York Giants, but in the NBA the players are known, we know Michael Jordan, we know LeBron James, we know Kobe Bryant, even if we are not familiar with basketball culture or the teams of the players. This unique dynamic gives the players even more power; which they use through their Players Association (NBPA). 

When the NBA suspended the season, they had to negotiate with the NBPA over the safety procedures and protocols. These negotiations, which the players wanted a return to be as safe as possible, eventually lead to the NBA Bubble. 

What is the NBA Bubble?

The NBA Bubble is a $150 million investment that ensures the NBA was isolated from the rest of the country. It is a closed off environment that was proposed to the NBPA, and which got accepted. It is inside the Disney World campus. This large area, coupled with the fact that the NBA only allowed 37 individuals per team to be inside the Bubble at first which meant that an approximate maximum of 1000 individuals were inside the campus during one time. These were just the beginning of the restrictions and protocols put in place.

When I hear “Bubble” my first thought goes back to The Simpsons dome, but unlike with the dome on Springfield; you could enter and leave the NBA Bubble.

Before you even enter the Bubble, you self-quarantine for 14 days, you then get tested before entering the Bubble. Once you enter the Bubble you get tested twice within 2 days; if all tests come back negative you can leave your room. If a positive test occurs, that individual is put into an isolated room and is tested again, if the test is negative, they are tested again; once both tests within 24 hours come back negative, you are allowed to leave the room and go back to normal Bubble life. 

It has to be said that the NBA Bubble shares the campus with Disney World employees although those employees are not allowed to be in the same room as NBA players. This makes it clear that the players are the priority.

Once an individual enters the Bubble, they receive a Magic Band which acts as the room key and which has to be scanned upon every entry into the Main building and practices. Players have to log their temperature and their oxygen levels into their health app every morning before leaving their rooms, every equipment is wiped down after use, everyone inside the Bubble must wear a mask when going outside, along with various policies.

These guidelines, along with many others, have proven to be enough to win the fight against Covid19. It’s even more impressive considering the fact that the Bubble is located in Orlando, Florida; a hotspot. In fact, 10 days before the Bubble was scheduled to start, Orlando posted its highest one day covid increase of 15,300 on July 12. 

Why is any of this important? Well this once again proves that when you follow the guidelines, test, have contact tracing, make individuals wear masks - you can beat this virus. That’s what New Zealand did, that’s what Taiwan did, that’s what the Buddle did - that’s how to beat this virus.

This is a war, our weapons are our scientific knowledge and the enemy is the virus that is assisted by the ignorant and inconsiderate among us. 

The most important thing is undoubtedly testing, without having the testing kits, none of this is possible, that’s what we need to focus on. Once we have the testing capacity, and the Health Ministry covers all the cost, this will be an easy war to win. After all, the NBA invested over $150 million and got billions in return, our government must also invest in order to help our already struggling economy.