By Dionysis Aravantinos / @AravantinosDA
Over the past few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the whole world. Countries are closing their borders while schools, stores and airports are shut down. People all around the world are strongly advised to stay at home in an attempt to fight and eventually eliminate this virus.
As one can imagine, coronavirus has had a huge impact on basketball worldwide. All basketball leagues including the NBA and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague competition have been suspended, cancelled or postponed and no one knows what the future holds. Some American players are stuck in Europe in a quarantine, not knowing if they’ll be able to return back home in the near future, when and if they’ll play basketball again this season and what will happen with their payments.
Their daily schedule looks way different than their regular one, their feelings are mixed and the situation they’re in isn’t getting any easier (at least for now). Eurohoops had the chance to talk to some players who compete at the highest level in Europe (EuroLeague & EuroCup) and a couple of NBA stars who shared their thoughts and feelings on this unique situation.
How are you dealing with the coronavirus at the moment?
- Marco Belinelli (San Antonio Spurs): The situation is really tragic. This virus has been underestimated in all countries since the first moment and immediate procedure wasn’t taken, thinking that it was similar to the flu. Being Italian, I saw all the progress of the virus and the restrictions that have been taken by my country. In the United States, we have been facing this virus for a week.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic (Sacramento Kings): It’s shocking, it’s unbelievably difficult for everybody but we’re all in this together. We just have to be disciplined as we learn more things about this new virus. It’s a new lesson for us as a community, as a society. We just have to deal with it like everyone else and be aware of the spreading and the power of the virus.
- Shane Larkin (Anadolu Efes):At the moment I’m just staying home much of the day. Obviously self-quarantine rules are in affect so I’m being able to stay away from any potential ways to catch the virus.
- Malcolm Delaney (FC Barcelona Lassa): Honestly, I’m just sitting in the house, me and my chef basically chilling.
- Paul Zipser (Bayern Munich): As the days go by, more people are understanding the significance of this situation and are staying at home. By doing less (staying at home), we’re doing the most in order to get past this.
- Alex Poythress (Galatasaray): It’s hard dealing with this problem alone. Especially since we’re so far from our family back in the States. I haven’t left my apartment in four-five days and I’ve just been watching movies and YouTube all by myself.
- Guerschon Yabusele (ASVEL Villeurbanne): In France, we have more and more cases every day. People don’t really take care and understand the importance of the matter, because they still go outside. It’s impossible for the virus to stop. So, this is our situation. Stay home. We’ve been home for four-five days, so all I’m doing is working out by myself.
- Nigel Hayes (Zalgiris Kaunas): I’m dealing very well with it. As good as one can. Social Distancing, continuing clean habits. Trying to keep busy without getting bored.
- Kyle Hines (CSKA Moscow): I’m just trying to stay at home as much as possible. Socially distancing myself from others. I’m only going out when needed to; when we have practice or when I have to get food.
- Amedeo Della Valle (Olimpia Milan): It’s not easy to deal with this situation. As a person I just try to do whatever the government and our club tell us to do. Staying at home and spending time with my mother.
- Maurice Ndour (Valencia Basket): Just like everybody else is dealing with it. Staying home with my family, only go out when we need to and mostly to the supermarket.We are all just trying to not go crazy during this lockdown.
- Peyton Siva (ALBA Berlin): At the moment, I am currently traveling back to the States with my family. For the past week, I stayed in the house with my family, watching movies, creating little games with my kids to stay active.
- Austin Hollins (Zenit St.Petersburg): At the moment I am taking all the safety precautions from the doctors. Washing my hands and limiting my contact with other people as much as possible outside of necessity.
- Deshaun Thomas (Panathinaikos): I’m dealing with it a day at a time. Staying clean, spending time with my family; the good thing about it. It’s a situation that we’re all in, we just got to keep the faith and hope it gets better.