Are you looking for sport to serve as a welcome distraction? Baron Davis isn’t.
Former Warriors Star Blasts ESPN Analyst For Wanting NBA To Continue Amid Coronavirus Crisis
A former Golden State Warriors star player told ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jay Williams to “shut the f up” following his appeal to continue NBA games amid coronavirus crisis.
The NBA is one of the major leagues that got hit hard by the 2019 novel coronavirus or the COVID-19 pandemic. Last March 24, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver initially stated that the suspension would last at least 30 days, but a mid-to-late-June return is now being viewed as a possibility.
Following the global crisis, several NBA pundits have expressed their thoughts about the matter. On Friday, ESPN NBA analyst and former Bulls star Williams called for the NBA season to continue even if there are no live fans in the arenas.
As an analyst, Williams surely has a reason for the said commentary. However, Williams’ appeal didn’t sound good for former Warriors star and current TNT analyst Baron Davis. In fact, it led him to take his thoughts to Twitter and blasted Williams for his comments.
According to Davis, Williams should “shut the f up” and go play by himself instead as people are already dying and the idea of continuing the season doesn’t make any sense at this point in time.
“Somebody stick a plunger in his (Williams) mouth. STFU bro. People getting really sick and people are dying. He should wake up and go play by himself,” Davis wrote.
Somebody stick a plunger in his mouth. STFU bro. People getting really sick and people are dying.
He should wake up and go play by himself.
Tired of this shit man. https://t.co/sBEVYmAfqU— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) March 27, 2020
Coronavirus in sports: ESPN changes Michael Jordan documentary date
ABC/ESPN’s highly anticipated 10-part Michael Jordan documentary, “The Last Dance,” is being moved up to April, The Post has learned.
Sources said the start date will be Sunday, April 19. It was originally slated for June.
ABC/ESPN plans to make an announcement on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, according to sources.
ESPN declined to confirm either the start date or the GMA plan.
The documentary was set to debut in June prior to the coronavirus outbreak that has halted games at all levels of competition.
Social media has implored ESPN/ABC to move up the documentary’s beginning because of the hunger for new sports programming. ESPN and its four partners, including Netflix, Jordan, the NBA and Mandalay Sports Media, have heard the calls and have acted on them. Netflix owns the international rights to the docuseries.
Estimating When Sports Could Resume Play After The Coronavirus Pandemic
NBA:
The NBA unwittingly provided the inflection point for the coronavirus pandemic, signaling to those Americans who took the dangers of the virus lightly as Utah Jazz Center, Rudy Goebert testing positive on March 11 set off a rapid sequence of events that resulted in all major professional sports and the NCAA basketball tournament being postponed or cancelled. Adam Silver was the first commissioner to opt for what some may have considered the “nuclear option” by indefinitely postponing the season. Since then, a number of high-profile players including Kevin Durant and Marcus Smart have tested positive for COVID-19. While Silver and Co. are keeping their collective cards close to the chest on this one, but the rumored goal is be able to finish The Finals by Labor Day Weekend, which would require a July 1st re-start date at the latest.
Best Case Scenario: July
Lakers news: Danny Green was 'still waking up' when Spurs traded him
Green recently gave a behind-the-curtain story of what went down on the day he found out he was traded. In an interview with ESPN, the Lakers sharpshooter said he was ‘still waking up’ when he found out that he was going to Toronto with Kawhi.
“I was still waking up. I was like, “what the hell is going on?” Okay, wow. This is a shock,” Danny Green shared.
But after getting to his senses, Green evaluated the situation carefully. He knew that the Raptors were one of the best teams for the past few years and they had a legitimate shot at the title. Off the court, Green noticed that Toronto — despite being in a different country — is close to New York, his hometown.
“I was in shock most, than anything. But seeing the team where I was going to, I just looked at the positive. I was excited. I was closer to New York, my family could see me,” The Lakers guard added.
What moving the Tokyo Olympics means for the NBA and Team USA
Which countries might benefit from a delay? Which countries might suffer?
The delay might benefit Team Canada, which had yet to qualify for the Olympics. The Canadians were scheduled to host a qualifying tournament in June — one they likely would have been favored to win. But that event was in danger of being canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Under that scenario, the remaining Olympic spots would have been filled via FIBA’s world rankings — and Canada, currently ranked 21st, wouldn’t have qualified. With the event simply pushed back a calendar year, Canada should get the same opportunity to host the tournament — and play its way in — next summer.Additionally, the Canadians could potentially have several players — including Tristan Thompson (free agency) and Dwight Powell (torn Achilles) — available to play next summer that they wouldn’t have had available to them this year.
One team that could suffer is Australia. A strong contender to get their first-ever medal, the Aussies have an older team led by veteran Andrew Bogut and guards Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova. The delay will make them even older, and they’ll likely be coming off a compressed schedule, too. But one positive could be the improved health for star Ben Simmons. He had been sidelined with a back injury before the worldwide stoppage, and a year’s delay could give him enough time to fully remedy the issue.