COVID-19

Brooklyn Nets: Spencer Dinwiddie Tests Positive for COVID-19 a 2nd time, Will Not Travel to Orlando with team

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Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets

You ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go your way, and you find yourself asking, how can today possibly get any worse? And then low and behold, something else terrible happens and it immediately gets worse? That has been the last several months for our Brooklyn Nets.

Spencer Dinwiddie, who was hopeful to travel with the Nets to Orlando despite being infected with COVID-19 and showing symptoms, tested positive for a 2nd time on Monday, thus ending any hopes of returning to the hardwood once the season resumes. Dinwiddie updated fans and commended the Nets organization in several tweets earlier on Tuesday afternoon:

Dinwiddie is the 6th player on the Nets roster to have tested positive for COVID-19 since March and the 2nd Net in the last two weeks, as DeAndre Jordan also tested positive for the virus. Unlike Jordan, who immediately stated he would not be playing in Orlando, Dinwiddie’s goal was to rehab as much as he can and see where things stood before the team left to Orlando. Unfortunately, Dinwiddie fell short of his goal and will be watching what’s left of the Nets compete from the comfort of his home. The Brooklyn point guard did leave fans on a positive note by tweeting out the following:

With Dinwiddie officially out, the team has some tough roster decisions to make. Who will start at point guard? Which players will step up and attempt to match the production that was given to the Nets on a nightly basis from Dinwiddie, DeAndre, and Wilson Chandler? As NetsDaily pointed out, here is what the remaining roster looks like for Brooklyn:

It seems as though newcomer Tyler Johnson will get big minutes now, paired with the likes of Chiozza and Temple backing up Caris LeVert and Joe Harris. TLC will also be in that mix. Reserves such as Jeremiah Martin and Dzanan Musa could see an increase in playing time if there is any injury to the guards mentioned previously.

It will be interesting to watch how interim HC Jacque Vaughn handles this new roster and what lineups he decides to use in Orlando. There are several fans out there (myself included) that believe Vaughn is coaching for the Nets HC job next year, which could be a motivating factor for this team to perform well and exceed expectations. The Nets may not be the team they were when the season ended in March, but this team still has some fight left in them.

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BREAKING NEWS: New York Liberty G Asia Durr to miss 2020 WNBA season

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The New York Liberty will be missing another guard in Florida, as 2019’s second overall pick has opted out of the upcoming season.

New York Liberty guard Asia Durr has elected to skip the 2020 WNBA season.

Durr, 23, revealed her decision on her social media accounts. In her statement, the Louisville alumna revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19 last month. The diagnosis played a major role in her decision to skip the upcoming season, which will take place in a bubble-like surrounding at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

“After much thought and consultation with my doctors and the Liberty, I have decided not to play the 2020 WNBA season,” Durr’s statement begins. “After testing positive for COVID-19 on June 8, my battle with it has been complicated and arduous. As I continue to fully recover, I had to make the difficult decision on a deadline to opt out as a medical High Risk player. So much about this virus is unknown and my heart is heavy, even as I make the decision that I know is best for my long-term wellness.”

The Liberty chose Durr with the second overall pick of the 2019 WNBA Draft. She had spent this offseason recovering from a groin injury that cost her 16 games of her rookie campaign and had undergone successful surgery in September. Durr averaged 9.7 points over 18 games (15 starts), with her season-best performance being a 20-point showing in a June win over Minnesota.

“Asia worked extremely hard this offseason to put herself in position to take a major leap forward in her second WNBA season,” said Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb in a team statement. “While we are disappointed that we will need to wait a bit longer to see her emerge as one of the bright young players in the game, we fully recognize and support the difficult decision she had to make amidst unprecedented circumstances. Brooklyn will be ready for her in 2021.”

Durr is the latest member of the Liberty to opt-out of the Florida endeavor, joining Rebecca Allen. Several others, including Marine Johannes, Stephanie Talbot, and Han Xu opted to remain overseas.

“I want to thank my teammates, the Liberty organization, our fans, and my partners for their compassion,” Durr said. “I plan to stay connected to the team virtually and support them on the court and in their efforts around social justice and activism from the bubble however I can. I hope you will do the same.”

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Rangers Players and Staff Face Daily COVID-19 Testing During Playoffs

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The New York Rangers now know what safety procedures will be in place when they resume play as the NHL and NHLPA have tentatively agreed on protocols to resume play. The newly agreed-upon protocols cover Phase 3 and 4 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan and cover items such as testing and how the return-to-play would be called off if the COVID-19 virus cannot be contained. The NHL’s board of governors and the full membership of the NHLPA will vote on both the CBA extension and the return-to-play protocols that were agreed to on Sunday.

The New York Rangers players and staff will go through rigorous testing

According to Frank Seravalli of TSN, every person inside the NHL’s “bubble” will be tested for COVID-19 daily via nasal swab, also administered temperature checks and symptom screenings. The Rangers and all teams will be permitted to bring a maximum of 52 individuals inside the secure zone, including ownership, players, coaches, executives, and staff.

The list of people requiring daily testing is extensive and includes but is not limited to: all players, staff, officials, arena ice crew, security, hotel bartenders, food service staff, arena food and beverage staff, hotel housekeeping, hotel kitchen and food prep staff, and bus drivers. Simply put, any person who has contacted or may come into contact (even indirectly) will be tested daily.

Seravalli also reports that any person inside the bubble who tests positive will immediately be isolated. A second “confirmatory” test will be administered. If that test returns positive, then that person will be instructed to isolate until medical clearance is administered. Even if that confirmatory test is negative, that person shall remain isolated and will be tested again in 24 hours – only until a second negative test is provided will that person be permitted to exit isolation.

An ‘asymptomatic’ confirmed positive case will be allowed to rejoin after two consecutive negative tests over a 48-hour period, or after 10 days of passage in isolation.

A ‘symptomatic’ confirmed positive case will also be able to rejoin after symptoms have subsided (no fever, no respiratory symptoms) for a minimum of 72 hours, provided the person was in self-isolation for a minimum of 10 days since the onset of symptoms.

In all, 1,248 tests will be required daily for team personnel only. Add in all of the other levels and it is easy to imagine the NHL requiring upwards of 2,000 tests daily to begin the 24-team tournament. That is 20,000 tests in the first 10 days alone.

New York Ranger players may opt-out

According to phase 3 and 4 protocols, players may choose to not participate in the return-to-play tournament for any reason and without penalty. The deadline to opt-out will be three days after this return-to-play protocol package is ratified by a vote, likely giving players at least until July 13, when the list of each traveling party is due.

Each team will be permitted to bring a maximum of 52 individuals inside the secure zone, including ownership, players, coaches, executives, and staff, according to Seravalli. Teams are permitted to bring no more than 31 players. The list of each traveling party must be submitted to the NHL by July 13, the day training camps are scheduled to open. Each team will have at least one physician, one security representative, one club Phase 4 compliance officer, and one content creator / social media member included in the traveling party.

As of Monday morning, the timing for ratification remains open. It is believed that the details of the Memorandum of Understanding for the CBA extension are close to being finalized. Once that’s officially done, both sides will vote on the complete package. First, the package would need to be approved by the NHLPA Executive Board with a majority vote from player reps from each of the league’s 31 teams, including those who are not part of the RTP.

The NHL Board of Governors would also have to vote to approve the agreement by a two-thirds majority. A full player vote will be conducted across all 31 teams, with a simple majority vote required for passage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NASCAR is reinvigorated as new eyes shift to its incredible change

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NASCAR was one of the first professional sports leagues to return following COVID-19. The desperate longing for sports and gambling has driven diehard sports fans to all forms of sports. Soccer has become a little more recognized by some that had ignored it in favor of NBA or MLB during the early summer.

The AFL and KBO have gained more mainstream notoriety in recent weeks as their fan bases expand to the United States. The sport that’s had the most successful return, NASCAR. NASCAR has experienced a reinvigoration in terms of both public image and ratings.

New Eyes On NASCAR

In the last few weeks since their return, over the span of 11 races, including some primetime week races, some races on FS1, and the usual summer dip, NASCAR has had an average of 3.08 million viewers per race.

In terms of comparison against pass races this time last year, the numbers are higher even if they’re on FS1. Publicly NASCAR being back also turned eyes to the sport with the uproar of the Black Lives Matter Movement and allowed them to take a vocal stance in support of the movement. More eyes are tuning into the sport, and more money is being spent on merchandise than before.

With that said, is it sustainable? As the NBA and MLB attempt to navigate their returns, those same fans that gravitated to NASCAR in the absence of sports may return to watching the more familiar sports. Not only that but as coronavirus spikes in the south, that’s not good for NASCAR, which has most team shops primarily based in North Carolina. Now, Jimmie Johnson has been diagnosed with COVID, and that could also spark some worries as the first case they’ve had since their return.

Still, with sports like MLB struggling to return and missing out on an opportune time to gain mainstream attention and the NBA trying to navigate the new normal, eyes will still be on the sport for now. At least for now, a sport that was deemed by some to be on the ropes just a short time ago has experienced a rejuvenation.

 

NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson tests positive for COVID-19

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This Saturday night, the UFC makes it's long anticipated return to Las Vegas with UFC on ESPN 9 which will be headlined by a welterweight contest between former champion, Tyron Woodley,

Johnson’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will be piloted by Justin Allgaier this weekend at Indianapolis.

NASCAR has confirmed that Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson has tested positive for COVID-19. The seven-time Cup Series champion will not race at Sunday’s event, the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET, NBC). His No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will be driven by Xfinity Series veteran Justin Allgaier.

According to a release from NASCAR, Johnson notified NASCAR of his positive test. Another statement from HMS revealed that Johnson was tested after his wife Chandra had “tested positive after experiencing allergy-like symptoms”. A member of Hendrick’s No. 48 travel crew will also self-quarantine due to, as the latter release reads, “close contact with the driver”.

“NASCAR has outlined the steps for Johnson’s return,” the former statement reads. “In accordance with the CDC’s current guidelines, which includes that Johnson is symptom-free and has two negative COVID-19 test results, at least 24 hours apart. NASCAR requires Johnson to be cleared by his physician before returning to racing.”

“My first priority is the health and safety of my loved ones and my teammates,” Johnson said in the HMS release. “I’ve never missed a race in my Cup career, but I know it’s going to be very hard to watch from the sidelines when I’m supposed to be out there competing. Although this situation is extremely disappointing, I’m going to come back ready to win races and put ourselves in playoff contention.”

NASCAR and its three national series have returned in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic after a two-month hiatus. Races have been run without practice or qualifying, turning race weekends into single-day endeavors. Social distancing measures have been maintained with press conferences being held virtually over Zoom and only essential personnel has been admitted to the track. Fans have not been admitted to a majority of events, but the showings at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway admitted a select number of spectators. NASCAR is expected to welcome in 30,000 fans to Bristol Motor Speedway on July 15 for the annual All-Star Race exhibition.

Johnson, 44, has spent his entire career in the No. 48 and has appeared in 663 consecutive Cup Series races. His seven titles are tied for most in series history alongside Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty and he leads all active drivers with 83 Cup wins (tied for fifth all-time with Cale Yarborough). Shortly after the end of the 2019 season, the first time he missed the NASCAR postseason, Johnson announced that 2020 would be his final year as a full-time racer.

NASCAR has also clarified that Johnson will be eligible for a waiver to reach the NASCAR playoffs if and when he returns. Playoff rules dictate that a driver must partake in all 26 regular season races to be eligible for a spot, but has granted such waivers for extenuating circumstances. Previous 2020 examples include Ryan Newman (who missed three races due to injury) and Matt Kenseth (who took over Chip Gannasi’s No. 42 Chevrolet after four races for the fired Kyle Larson). Johnson is currently in the playoffs in the 12th slot, 63 points ahead of 17th-place Austin Dillon, the first driver out.

Johnson’s replacement will be Allgaier, who currently sits seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings. He drives the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, which is co-owned by Hendrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the latter’s sister Kelley. Allgaier, 34, has finished the no worse than seventh in the Xfinity Series in each of the past nine seasons and drove two full years (2014-15) at the Cup Series level in the No. 51 Chevrolet for now-defunct HScott Motorsports.

Allgaier will run both the Cup and Xfinity races. The former, the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard, will be held on Saturday on Indianapolis’ road course (3 p.m. ET, NBC). Allgaier will start fifth on the road course, but will likely have to move to the end of Sunday’s field due to a driver change. Starting positions have been determined by random draw in lieu of qualifying.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

NFL set to remove two games from the preseason schedule (Report)

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As the NFL continues to prepare for an uncertain 2020, the already-maligned preseason slate has seen two weeks erased from its ledger.

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the National Football League is ready to do away with half of its preseason slate as it prepares to potentially navigate a season through the COVID-19 pandemic. The PFT report says that the first and final weeks of summer’s exhibition summer quartet are on the chopping block.

The league is set to make a formal announcement regarding the decision on Thursday, one week after the cancellation of the preseason-opening Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between Dallas and Pittsburgh in Canton, Ohio.

Trimming the preseason has long been discussed and appeared to be a certainty when the new collective bargaining agreement left open the possibility of a 17-game regular-season slate in 2021. The league’s squads have played four preseason games ever since 1978

If Weeks 1 and 4 are eliminated from the preseason picture, the annual meeting between the local New York Jets and New York Giants would be eliminated, having been scheduled for the opening week for the second consecutive season. Starters rarely play past the first quarter in the opener, and often sit out the finale entirely. The Jets and Giants have respectively played interconference rivals from Philadelphia and New England in the final week of summer games since the turn of the century. It’s possible these games could be rescheduled to cut down on travel. If the cancellations are kept, the Jets would have a visit to Detroit and an East Rutherford tilt with Pittsburgh (the former being nationally televised on ESPN). The Giants have a road game against Tennessee and a visit from Green Bay left on their docket.

Many teams are planning to open training camp on July 28 with the first games scheduled for the week of August 20-24.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

 

Brooklyn Nets: The COVID-19 Nightmare Continues

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Brooklyn Nets, DeAndre Jordan

It was only a few months ago when a report came out that four Brooklyn Nets players, one of them being Kevin Durant, tested positive for COVID-19. Now, in the last 48 hours, two more Nets have publicly announced that they too have tested positive for the virus.

DeAndre Jordan, at 9:34pm EST on Monday night, tweeted the following about how he found out he had tested positive for COVID-19:

Several hours earlier, it was reported that Spencer Dinwiddie also had tested positive for the virus after feeling COVID-19 symptoms such as chest tightness and a fever. While Jordan has made it clear he will not be playing when the NBA season resumes, Dinwiddie has been hopeful he can recover from the virus in time to rejoin the team hopefully during the playoffs. He had this to say in response to Woj implying Dinwiddie was strongly considering not joining the team in Orlando.

It’s been a rough few months for Nets fans who hoped to see some form of the team they envisioned way back when KD and Kyrie signed in last July. Fans got their hopes up several weeks ago that the two superstars might return when basketball resumes in late July, a rumor that was shut down quickly by both players.

In the last two weeks, it was reported that two more players would not be traveling to Orlando with the team, as the young power forward Nic Claxton had season-ending should-surgery several days ago and journeyman Wilson Chandler has chosen to spend more with his family this summer. Add DeAndre Jordan and possibly Spencer Dinwiddie to the mix, and that’s 6 key contributors the Nets will be missing when play resumes in Orlando. Some fans may be optimistic about the recent signings of Tyler Johnson and Justin Anderson, but at this point, fans will be watching an almost entirely different team than the one we saw for most of the year.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that more than anything, we hope Spencer, DeAndre, and all the professional athletes that have tested positive for COVID-19 get well soon. This virus is terrifying for these athletes and their families to have to endure, and I wish them nothing but the best during their recovery period. For the Nets players who have chosen not to return to the bubble for reasons outside of health, such as Wilson Chandler and Kyrie Irving, I have nothing but respect for those men and their decisions. They have a right to either fight for the cause they believe in or spend time with their family during these scary times.

While the Nets will be missing a large portion of their team in Orlando, they still will have Caris LeVert, who was playing the best basketball of his career prior to the season being suspended. Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris should most likely be traveling with the team as well. They should still be competitive and put up a fight in the first round of the playoffs. But many Nets fans can rest assured that this team at full strength and health next year, will be a real title contender and quite possibly the favorite in the East.

Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for your latest Brooklyn Nets news and listen to the Fireside Nets w/ Spen & Nick podcast!

New York Liberty: Rebecca Allen opts out of 2020 season

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The Australian-born Allen, the longest-tenured member of the New York Liberty, has chosen not to take part in the upcoming WNBA season.

The New York Liberty will be missing another veteran if and when they take the court for the 2020 WNBA season.

Guard/forward Rebecca Allen announced on Thursday that she will not partake in the league’s potential 22-game season, set to held in a “bubble” setting at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The WNBA previously announced that it is aiming for a July 24 start to its 24th season of play.

“This has absolutely been one of the toughest decisions, but after much thought and discussions, I have decided to opt out of the 2020 season in Florida,” Allen said in a team statement. “The uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis and the logistical health risks related to travel have led me to conclude that it’s best if I not play in the WNBA this year.”

Thursday marked the deadline for WNBA players to inform their squads about their potential participation in the Bradenton bubble. Other opt-outs include defending rebound champion Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun and LaToya Sanders of the defending champion Washington Mystics. Others, including Renee Montgomery and Tiffany Hayes of the Atlanta Dream, have opted to take the year off to focus on social advocacy.

“I would like to thank the Liberty for their support and understanding,” Allen added. “I’ll certainly miss all my teammates, staff and fans this year. I’ll be cheering loud from Australia and I look forward to getting back on the court in 2021.”

New Liberty head coach Walt Hopkins had been looking forward to working with Allen, having constantly sung her praises since taking the job in January.

“She’s got a tremendous skill set and she’s got a rare mix of characteristics in that she’s about 6’2 and she’s really long and she’s deceptively athletic to go with her ability to put the ball on the floor and get fouled and shoot the three at such a high level,” Hopkins said earlier this spring. “That’s really the type of player we absolutely need for this system to work and we’ve got one built-in already. On top of that, she’s a phenomenal person.”

Allen, 27, was set to be the longest-tenured member of the Liberty, having been with the team since coming on as a free agent in 2015. She developed a reputation as a strong defender off the bench, as her wingspan earned her the nickname “Spida” in her native Australia. Allen enjoyed a bit of a breakout season in 2019, posting career-best averages in points (7.2) and minutes (17.2). She also finished seventh in the WNBA in three-point percentage (42.6 percent). Last August, Allen set a Liberty record with 20 points in the second quarter in a home tilt against Minnesota. Such a tally was two points behind the league’s best single-period scoring output (set by Diana Taurasi of Phoenix in 2006).

This offseason, Allen earned MVP honors in Poland’s Basket Liga Kobiet, partaking in Arka Gdynia’s perfect season prior to the league’s coronavirus-induced shutdown in March. Allen also made a name for herself in Australia’s national basketball endeavors. Part of the women’s team known as the “Opals”, Allen averaged 14 points in a trio of Olympic qualifiers. The Opals punched their ticket with wins over Chinese Taipei and India. Additionally, Allen was named to All-Star Five of the 2019 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Bangalore. She appeared alongside Liberty teammate Han Xu and led the Opals with 20 points in their bronze medal game victory over South Korea.

Allen is one of four New Yorkers sitting out the 2020 season. Fellow international representatives Han and Marine Johannes announced their intentions to stay in their respective homelands of China and France in May, while Liberty newcomer and Allen’s Opals teammate Stephanie Talbot chose to likewise remain in Australia.

With Allen’s temporary defection, Amanda Zahui B is slated to be the longest-tenured New Yorker on the hardwood, having joined the team in a 2016 trade with the Tulsa Shock. Zahui B penned an emotional tribute to her close friend Allen on Twitter.

She was far from the only New Yorker to publicly support Allen’s decision.

“Rebecca is a consummate professional and a key factor to the team’s new style of play,” Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said. “We understand that these decisions are never easy and, while she will certainly be missed this season, we fully support her decision to do what is best for her and her family.”

The Liberty were set to play their first full-time season at Barclays Center in Brooklyn prior to the WNBA’s postponement of the 2020 season. Their current roster features six rookie, headlined by top overall WNBA Draft pick Sabrina Ionescu from Oregon.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

NHL Allows the New York Rangers and Other Teams to Increase Size of Practice Groups

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New York Rangers, Igor Shesterkin

Even with the news that there have been some positive cases reported among NHL players, the league will allow on-ice practice sessions for the New York Rangers to include up to 12 players starting Tuesday according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.

The NHL’s decision to increase the number of players allowed at practice sessions is part of a continuation of Phase 2 of the league’s return-to-play plan. Phase 3, which includes the reopening of training camps, is scheduled to begin July 10. Since June 8 when Phase 2 was implemented, teams were allowed only six players at the practice sessions.

This comes on the heels of the Tampa Bay Lightning temporarily shutting down their training facility after three players and additional staffers tested positive for the COVID-19. In response to this, other players and staffers who have been at the facility are being tested. The Lightning and NHL will figure out how to proceed based on the results of those tests.

In the meantime, some players are expressing concern about whether it will be safe to return in July, as the league recently announced that 11 players have tested positive for COVID-19 since Phase 2 of the league’s return-to-play plan began on June 8.

The NHL and NHLPA are still working out health and safety protocols for Phase 3 (training camps) and Phase 4 (games). However, the league has already announced that it will be testing players and staff daily once games resume. Each test costs approximately $125 and Commissioner Gary Bettman has estimated that 25,000 to 35,000 tests will be needed to get through the playoffs.

In light of these events and the seeming resurgence of the virus in the absence of a complete national strategy to combat it, social distancing was a topic of conversation at a recent meeting, with GMs told that players and staff that they are not to be going to restaurants and clubs.

Regardless, the NHL is going forward with increasing the number of practice participants in phase 2, with the reminder that participation in this phase is strictly voluntary. It is also noted that the increase will help facilitate the return of players from other locations, especially since the league recommended that overseas players return to help facilitate the extensions of their work visas.

 

WNBA unveils their plan for a Florida-based return

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The WNBA rolled out a plan for return on Monday, which involves players getting 100 percent of their salaries and social justice initiatives.

The WNBA is inching closer to tip-off after a Monday announcement, in which the league revealed that it is closing in on an agreement to stage a 22-game season without fans at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Players are set to receive their full 2020 salary and benefits, according to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

“We are finalizing a season start plan to build on the tremendous momentum generated in the league during the offseason and have used the guiding principles of health and safety of players and essential staff to establish necessary and extensive protocols,” Engelbert said in a statement. “We will continue to consult with medical experts and public health officials as well as players, team owners and other stakeholders as we move forward with our execution plan.”

“Despite the disruption caused by the global pandemic to our 2020 season, the WNBA and its Board of Governors believe strongly in supporting and valuing the elite women athletes who play in the WNBA, and therefore, players will receive their full pay and benefits during the 2020 season.”

The WNBA’s 24th season of competition was originally scheduled to begin on May 15 but was indefinitely delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A virtual draft was help without incident in April with the New York Liberty choosing Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu with the top overall pick. The Washington Mystics are the league’s defending champions, having taken a five-game set from the Connecticut Sun last fall. Over the offseason, the league and its player’s association agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that includes new benefits such as increased salaries ($68,000 being the new veteran minimum) and full paid maternity leave.

IMG is a private preparatory boarding school and sports training facility based in Bradenton. The 450-acre property will serve as the site for games, practices, and housing for each of the league’s dozen teams. League statements indicate that they will be in constant contact with medical specialists, public health experts, and government officials to ensure the plan can be safely conducted.

The league will also include “a devoted platform led by the players that will aim to support and strengthen both the league and teams’ reach and impact on social justice matters”. Numerous players, including Kia Nurse and Amanda Zahui B of the local Liberty, have spoken in support of the nationwide demonstrations against police brutality against African-Americans. This support will continue on the court if and when the games get rolling in Bradenton.

“The WNBA opposes racism in all its forms, and George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are the latest names in a list of countless others who have been subject to police brutality that stems from the systemic oppression of Black Lives in America,” Engelbert said. “It is our collective responsibility to use our platforms to enact change.”

“In our discussions with the league, we emphasized and they agreed that a strong commitment to a 2020 season will give the WNBA the chance to show the world that it's taking the steps needed to secure our livelihood and well-being, while also providing the opportunity to amplify our collective voice,” WNBPA President and Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike added. “This is not only necessary from a humanitarian perspective, but it may be one of the biggest opportunities that this league has and will ever have.”

While a starting date has not been announced, Engelbert told Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press that she’s hoping that her original target start date of July 24 (six days prior to the tentative resumption of the 2019-20 NBA season in Orlando) “will stick”. A potential postseason would follow the WNBA’s traditional playoff format, in which the top eight teams advance regardless of conference. The top couple earns byes to a best-of-five semifinal round while the first two runners-up get a single bye to the single-elimination quarterfinals. They play the winners of a five vs. eight/six vs. seven single-elimination first round en route to the WNBA Finals.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags