The WNBA and NBA are fighting to withhold pay from the mystical striker Elena Delle Donne and Pacer guard Victor Oladipo, as reported by ESPN (Delle Donne connection and Oladipo connection). Both players have announced that they do not intend to play in the upcoming summer seasons of their leagues.
Unlike many other players who gave up without incident, Delle Donne and Oladipo present mitigating circumstances that attracted the attention of the management of NBA and WNBA.
Delle Donne and Lyme Disease
Delle Donne, the reigning MVP of the WNBA, requested a medical apology for the season based on the advice of her personal doctor. In a statement, Delle Donne wrote:
“I love my team, and last year we had an incredible season and I want to play! But the question is whether the WNBA bubble is safe for me. My personal physician who has treated me for years for Lyme disease has informed me that I am at high risk of contracting and having complications from COVID-19. “
But the NBA team of doctors apparently disagrees. While the league has not officially announced an explanation for its decision, it may be related to the fact that Lyme disease is not listed by the CDC as an underlying condition that aggravates COVID-19 risk.
Haminat recovering from the tendon of the broken quad
Unlike Delle Donne, Oladipo’s concerns are not related to COVID-19: he is in the Orlando “bubble” and has trained with the team without restrictions. However, the masked singer’s alum told Athletic that he is still recovering after breaking the quadriceps tendon on January 23, 2019. He fears that the long layoff between games may increase the risk of soft tissue injury that would slow down the his return to form. Oladipo played in 13 games earlier this season, but looked rusty, putting on low career statistics across the board.
ESPN reports that the NBA plans to retain the remaining $ 3 million Oladipo in salary to avoid setting a precedent whereby healthy players could simply leave the bubble without consequences. In contrast, Pacers have no problem paying Oladipo’s salary regardless of whether you play or not.
Is it a battle worthy of being fought for the league?
Leagues risk opening several proverbial cans of worms with their answers to Delle Donne and Oladipo.
In the case of Delle Donne, while the medical community has struggled to understand or even classify chronic Lyme disease (link to an excellent podcast summarizing the history and debates on Lyme disease), it is clear that Delle Donne believes she is at risk higher COVID -19. Given that the possible long-term effects of the new coronavirus are still unknown and that doubting self-reports from people with invisible chronic diseases leads to a number of negative consequences (example), it seems uninterested and / or unethical that the NBA ignore women’s demand.
Similarly, Oladipo is not the first player in recent years to take an extremely cautious approach to recovering injuries. So far the league has not penalized players for extending recoveries under normal circumstances – it seems at least a little tricky that they would choose a global pandemic as the time to punishly punch cargo management. Especially since the Oladipo team has publicly supported his decision and is willing to pay for it.
