Walt Disney World is known as one of the most magical places on Earth. The year of 2020 has brought the unexpected with the surreal. Who would have thought that the NBA and Walt Disney World could form an alliance and continue the suspended NBA season?
Well, this illusion became physical existence in the beginning of July as the qualified 22 teams traveled from their respective home cities to the mysterious realm of Disney. From there, the schedule they would follow included three days of training camp, one week of scrimmages, two weeks to finish the regular season with seeding games, and a featured play-in game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies, in which the Trail Blazers won to gain a short-lived playoff spot. They lost at the hands of the Lebron James-led Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and had to unfortunately, exit the bubble. But, wouldn’t you like to know what life was like for them and all the other NBA teams inside this distinctive atmosphere?
From the pool and spa services to golf courses and bowling, to gaming areas and ping pong matches, even barbers and bicycling includes all the excursions that have taken place in Orlando. This must sound like a lot of fun, right?
Well, before all the fun can begin, they are required to endure upon daily testing when they enter the facilities to contract results for COVID-19. Essential items always comprise a mask to be worn except when eating and exercising and Walt Disney’s treasured “MagicBands” or watches are to be displayed on players’ wrists when they complete their daily check-ins. These “MagicBands” are used as a contact-tracing mechanism in which they can restrict access to practice facilities and basketball courts if a player hasn’t completed his daily health review on the app. Fortunately, the whole NBA Bubble has proved to be extremely effective in preventing any more positive tests, as the amount has been kept to a bare minimum.
As a result, on the last day of August, close friends and family of the players and coaches were finally allowed into the venues to watch the games.
Yet, after all of this, has the NBA Bubble really been memorable so far?