NBA players and executives reportedly are worried about the potential favoritism in the enforcement of COVID-19 tests, should the NBA resume its season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on his podcast, “The Woj Pod,” that NBA executives are being approached by their players with a concern.
“‘Will a superstar player be treated the same if he tests positive as if me as a role player do?’” Wojnarowski relayed. “’Will there be a double standard there, based on the level of star and how he impacts the playoffs?’”
Wojnarowski says that there will likely not be “selective enforcement” based on the player’s importance to the team.
“Certainly this isn’t like a role player can go in the playoffs and say, ‘Hey are you going to officiate me the same way you’re going to officiate LeBron [James] or Kawhi [Leonard]?’” Wojnarowski said. “The answer probably is no. But in this case, the answer has to be yes. And there is no getting around that.”
Wojnarowski said that he doesn’t believe that any organization would put itself in position to hide positive tests in this current climate.
“It would be the end of your career,” Wojnarowski said if a team tries to hide that a player tested positive. “It’s not worth it. And I don’t think a league would want to — even if you were considering the worst ethics of everybody and I’m not — I don’t think that’s anybody’s plan or intention.
“But I do think it’s human nature that players are asking that. And I think the league will be unequivocal to them that this is going to be absent of your standing in the league, if you test positive you’re out of there.”
The NBA clearly still has some hurdles to overcome as it attempts to resume the 2019-20 season.
Easing the minds of players that they will limit any and all exposure to COVID-19 is an important step that needs to be taken.
