The NBA is working with ESPN to air a high-profile player H-O-R-S-E competition in the absence of a safe environment for team basketball, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Ongoing talks between the league, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and ESPN have focused on televising the popular basketball shooting game with participants going shot-for-shot remotely.
What sort of facilities might be used (likely home gyms, as team practice facilities remain off-limits), which stars might participate, and other important details have yet to be revealed — and perhaps negotiated.
At this time, NBA guidelines prevent players from being in the same place at one time for safety reasons, which is undoubtedly just one of several issues in need of amelioration to move forward with such a tourney.
But, all parties are working to provide fans with an outlet for the sport they absent from their lives with so many other things in the midst of the pandemic that has suspended league activities and much else in life.
In the meantime, the league has organized the NBA Players 2k Tournament, where NBA players compete in a one-on-one, single-elimination tourney the winner of will be able to choose which charity will receive a $100,000 donation.
Fans may see other ideas to that can help fans scratch their basketball itch emerge in the coming days and weeks as creative minds continue to devise ways to overcome the physical distance needed to prevent overloading global healthcare infrastructure.
