ORLANDO, Florida. – My colleague Sekou Smith is about to be released from NBA quarantine soon and since at first he won’t know what will affect him other than the sun and humidity, I should inform him of what’s going on here.
First: don’t miss the coronavirus tests.
Second: Don’t miss the coronavirus tests.
Once he has carried out those orders, he will be exposed to another world here in this basketball ecosystem. It’s not perfect; nothing ever is. The NBA worked without a parachute and a blueprint while devising a way to continue the season on this campus, collect major television revenue, and keep everyone safe. But overall, this operation is a success so far, due to basketball’s high level of performance and the non-existent number of positive tests.
So here’s what Sekou will discover once he gets his poise and intelligence after a week locked up in a small hotel room, and my advice for him:
• This is a basketball paradise, an NCAA tournament in one place, with only superior players and better referees. The ability to see multiple NBA teams in a single day, playing or practicing it, is something unrepeatable. Enjoy the luxury.
• Being inside the arena will feel surreal at first, with no fans or halftime acts and an atmosphere that is largely artificially created. But the noise created by emotional players and coaches and the changing trainers is very real and pure. Bring your ears as well as your eyes and they will be treated with the sounds of basketball.
• Don’t worry about stepping on a gecko, though dozens will scatter in your path every day once the door is opened. Those reptilian creatures are faster than a juicy voice.
• Always bring a jacket to Florida in the summer because they overdo the air conditioning. It goes from the sauna to Siberia quickly.
• Don’t waste time requesting an individual interview with LeBron James. King don’t do those. Not yesterday, today, tomorrow, next week or next year. Not even here.
• But spend time with Jaylen Brown of the Celtics. It will be more meaningful. He is thoughtful, intelligent, experienced, and beyond his years. You might even talk about basketball with him.
• Kyle Speller, who is employed by the Nuggets, is one of four NBA announcers invited to voice these games. His enthusiasm and his unmistakable style – yeeahhhbaby! – is similar to Rucker Park and will turn you into a huge fan.
• Teams normally practice on the courts installed in the Coronado hotel ballroom and the corridors of those courts create some, um, interesting if not uncomfortable path crossing scenes. The morning after the Raptors beat the Celtics on a buzzer, both teams trained within a few dozen yards of each other, at roughly the same time. There weren’t many accolades from traveling players.
• You will have chicken as your meal of choice on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and probably Saturday.
• Under no circumstances should you wear a buttoned suit or shirt to work. You will be a clown. Dress like the coaches and your media mates and blend in.
• Rent a bike, even if you haven’t used one in years. Cycling will be therapeutic and a good way to clear your head and prepare for a busy day. Be sure to say hello to the heat trainer who walks the road that skirts the hotel. Erik Spoelstra starts his tours around 9am every day.
• There is a large lake in the hotel, so go ahead and grab a rod, although rumor has it that everyone catches the same fish.
• Follow the rhythm, plan accordingly, use time management and make every day count. Realize that this bold NBA experiment is not sustainable. Is the price too high: about $ 175 million? – and the sacrifices made by all involved are too great. And that’s only for 22 teams invited over the span of four months, not 30 teams and 82 games plus the end of the season.
• Finally: take full advantage of this opportunity to socially reconnect with your NBA family i.e. players, coaches, media, league employees, etc. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen them. With this pandemic, who knows when you will see them again?
My time here is over. This assignment from the basketball gods was an honor and a pleasure. After more than two months, I’m headed home. But first I check my luggage for shipwrecked geckos.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email here, find his archive here and follow it Twitter .
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