Longtime NBA coaches Mike D’Antoni, Alvin Gentry wear coach masks in bubble games

© Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY Sport
New Orleans pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry and Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni speak after a 2019 game at the Smoothie King Center.

“It is important for Houston and for much of the country. Right now, they should be masked, “said D’Antoni following the Rockets’ fight against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.” We do it for Houston. We do it for you. I do it for my players. I do it for my coaches. I feel like it’s the right thing to do right now when we are as a country. “

Center and Disease Control (CDC) has recommended people to wear masks both to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and to help prevent transmission of the virus to others. However, President Donald Trump has often refused to wear a mask in public, and several local governments and companies have had mixed results in getting people to wear them.

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Health officials attributed a person’s refusal to wear a mask as a significant reason for the infection and the rising mortality rate in the country.

“It’s a statement that says we think it’s important to have a mask down here too,” said Gentry after the pelicans scrimmage against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. “We would like to send a message to everyone that if we are in control of this thing, I think this makes a big difference.”

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The NBA has asked players, coaches, staff members and journalists to wear masks and obey the rules of social distance in public settings. As stated in the league’s health and safety protocols, however, players and some coaches are exempt from wearing a mask under certain circumstances. Players and coaches in the first row of the bench must not wear a mask during the game, while coaches and inactive players in the second row of the bench are required to do so.

League guidelines recommend that coaches wear a mask before and after the game as long as it does not interfere with their ability to do their job. Players, the head coach and up to four assistant coaches are also exempt from wearing a mask during individual and team training. All other staff must wear masks during group rehearsals.

Gregg Popovich, 71, coach of Gentry, D’Antoni and San Antonio Spurs wore masks during practice. Popovich has not been a coach during the scrimmages since he delegated those duties to assistants Becky Hammon (Friday against Milwaukee), Mitch Johnson (Saturday against Brooklyn) and Will Hardy (Tuesday against Indiana). But Popovich wore a mask on the bench during those games.

During Friday’s game against the Bucks, Popovich occasionally spoke to a player during downtime. Otherwise, he kept a respectful distance while Hammon led the group in confusion and managed rotations.

“Referees can’t say what I’m saying,” joked D’Antoni. “That’s good.”

Gentry was equally vocal with the officers and his players while wearing a mask.

“We’ve seen all the kids watching the game: they can see that it’s not in any way restrictive to have a mask,” said Gentry. “It was fine with me.”

Will this push the other 19 NBA coaches into the bubble to also wear a mask during matches?

“I think they could,” said Gentry. “I’m doing it because I think it’s the right thing to do. We are not required to do it or anything. I’m doing it because I think it’s the right thing to do. “

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This article originally appeared in the U.S. TODAY: Longtime NBA coaches Mike D’Antoni, Alvin Gentry wear coach masks in bubble games

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