"I've been through a lot, obviously starting out with my mom,” said Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns as he enters his sixth NBA season with a heavy heart. Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Towns, passed away in April due to COVID-19 related complications. On Friday, the 25-year-old revealed that six other family members have died due to COVID-19.

"Last night I got a call that I lost my uncle," Towns said. "I feel like I've been hardened a little bit by life and humbled."

Towns said his main priority is to keep his family safe. His father, Karl-Anthony Towns Sr., also tested positive for the coronavirus but recovered.

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"I've seen a lot of coffins in the last seven months, eight months," Towns said. "But I have a lot of people who have -- in my family and my mom's family -- who have gotten Covid. I'm the one looking for answers still, trying to find how to keep them healthy. It's just a lot of responsibility on me to keep my family well informed and to make all the moves necessary to keep them alive."

However, Towns said basketball won’t be anything like a therapy for him as he plays to put a smile on the faces of his family members while adding it’s going to be a hard season for him to play after seven deaths in his family due to the virus.

"I play this game more because I just loved watching my family members seeing me play a game I was very successful and good at. It always brought me a smile when I saw my mom at the baseline and in the stands and stuff and having a good time watching me play," Towns said. "So it's going to be hard to play. It's going to be difficult to say this is therapy. I don't think this will ever be therapy for me again. But it gives me a chance to relive good memories I had."

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On March 15, Towns announced that he would donate $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic with hope that this fight with virus can be won quickly by increasing testing capabilities. He wrote on Instagram: "My hope is that we can fight this virus quicker and more efficiently by increasing the testing capabilities and availability and Mayo Clinic's overall Covid-19 response."

Minnesota Timberwolves will open the 2020-21 NBA season against the Detroit Pistons on December 23 at Target Center in Minneapolis. 
&nbsp;

"I've been through a lot, obviously starting out with my mom,” said Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns as he enters his sixth NBA season with a heavy heart.

"I've been through a lot, obviously starting out with my mom,” said Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns as he enters his sixth NBA season with a heavy heart. Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Towns, passed away in April due to COVID-19 related complications. On Friday, the 25-year-old revealed that six other family members have died due to COVID-19. "Last night I got a call that I lost my uncle," Towns said. "I feel like I've been hardened a little bit by life and humbled." Towns said his main priority is to keep his family safe. His father, Karl-Anthony Towns Sr., also tested positive for the coronavirus but recovered. ALSO READ: NBA: Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook clears the air, talks legacy "I've seen a lot of coffins in the last seven months, eight months," Towns said. "But I have a lot of people who have -- in my family and my mom's family -- who have gotten Covid. I'm the one looking for answers still, trying to find how to keep them healthy. It's just a lot of responsibility on me to keep my family well informed and to make all the moves necessary to keep them alive." However, Towns said basketball won’t be anything like a therapy for him as he plays to put a smile on the faces of his family members while adding it’s going to be a hard season for him to play after seven deaths in his family due to the virus. "I play this game more because I just loved watching my family members seeing me play a game I was very successful and good at. It always brought me a smile when I saw my mom at the baseline and in the stands and stuff and having a good time watching me play," Towns said. "So it's going to be hard to play. It's going to be difficult to say this is therapy. I don't think this will ever be therapy for me again. But it gives me a chance to relive good memories I had." ALSO READ: Floyd Mayweather to take on YouTuber Logan Paul in exhibition bout On March 15, Towns announced that he would donate $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic with hope that this fight with virus can be won quickly by increasing testing capabilities. He wrote on Instagram: "My hope is that we can fight this virus quicker and more efficiently by increasing the testing capabilities and availability and Mayo Clinic's overall Covid-19 response." Minnesota Timberwolves will open the 2020-21 NBA season against the Detroit Pistons on December 23 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

'I've seen a lot of coffins': NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns says he lost 7 family members to COVID-19

“Where do you want me to start?” Washington Wizards’ new superstar acquisition Russell Westbrook said on Saturday speaking to the media for the first time since being traded from Houston Rockets. Westbrook clarified he is misunderstood. “Because a lot of times, the things that are made up, people don’t actually know me to be able to say anything about me or what I am about or what I believe in. ... Obviously, I am not the easiest guy to understand, whatever, watch play, whatever people may think.”

A nine-time All Star, Westbrook had a rather unusual feather in his hat, becoming first NBA MVP to be traded in consecutive offseasons.

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Westbrook explained that the player on court and the persona off court are two different people. “When I am on the floor, I don’t have any friends, I am not trying to be friendly, I’m trying to bust somebody’s ass. I ain’t got time to try to shake hands and do all that. I don’t have time for it, and I am never changing that,” the explosive point guard said it loud and clear.

At the back of three consecutive triple-double seasons at the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook was traded to join forces with James Harden for the 2019-20 season. And in the current offseason found himself a new team in the Wizards. Much like any other seasoned pro, the 32-year old admitted that these moves affect his family more than him. “Not as much for me but for my wife and my family now. She has to move my kids, find schools, place to stay so that’s the most difficult part because I know the stress it puts on my family,” said Westbrook.

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Wizards, who went 25-47 last season, expect Westbrook to run with their franchise cornerstone Bradley Beal and push the team in playoffs contention, but Westbrook’s idea of legacy is different.

“Legacy for me is based on how many people I impact and inspire along my journey,” Westbrook said. “It’s important that somebody that has the power, the impact, the ability, the impact, the outreach to be able to put their foot down and make a stand,” Westbrook added.

“Where do you want me to start?” Washington Wizards’ new superstar acquisition Russell Westbrook said on Saturday speaking to the media for the first time since being traded from Houston Rockets.

“Where do you want me to start?” Washington Wizards’ new superstar acquisition Russell Westbrook said on Saturday speaking to the media for the first time since being traded from Houston Rockets. Westbrook clarified he is misunderstood. “Because a lot of times, the things that are made up, people don’t actually know me to be able to say anything about me or what I am about or what I believe in. ... Obviously, I am not the easiest guy to understand, whatever, watch play, whatever people may think.” A nine-time All Star, Westbrook had a rather unusual feather in his hat, becoming first NBA MVP to be traded in consecutive offseasons. ALSO READ: Liverpool spark Anfield party to join Spurs at top of Premier League Westbrook explained that the player on court and the persona off court are two different people. “When I am on the floor, I don’t have any friends, I am not trying to be friendly, I’m trying to bust somebody’s ass. I ain’t got time to try to shake hands and do all that. I don’t have time for it, and I am never changing that,” the explosive point guard said it loud and clear. At the back of three consecutive triple-double seasons at the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook was traded to join forces with James Harden for the 2019-20 season. And in the current offseason found himself a new team in the Wizards. Much like any other seasoned pro, the 32-year old admitted that these moves affect his family more than him. “Not as much for me but for my wife and my family now. She has to move my kids, find schools, place to stay so that’s the most difficult part because I know the stress it puts on my family,” said Westbrook. ALSO READ: LeBron, Osaka, Mahomes among SI Sportspersons of the Year Wizards, who went 25-47 last season, expect Westbrook to run with their franchise cornerstone Bradley Beal and push the team in playoffs contention, but Westbrook’s idea of legacy is different. “Legacy for me is based on how many people I impact and inspire along my journey,” Westbrook said. “It’s important that somebody that has the power, the impact, the ability, the impact, the outreach to be able to put their foot down and make a stand,” Westbrook added.

NBA: Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook clears the air, talks legacy

Steph Curry,&nbsp;who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time. “I never had a time of not playing games for such a long time,” Curry said speaking to media after Golden State Warriors started their training camp with individual workouts on Wednesday.

A league&nbsp;worst 15-50 record and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a longer than expected break for the Warriors, but Curry was going from strength-to-strength. As restrictions eased, he started playing in scrimmages eventually leading up to 5-on-5 workouts with teammates until last month. “It was good to kind of shake the cobwebs off and not wait until December to get competitive live-action before playing regular-season games,” said Curry.

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In an off-season like never seen before, Curry was not only strengthening his left hand, but he kept himself relevant interviewing America’s lead expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made a virtual appearance at the Democratic National Convention and teed off with Phil Mickelson. And he saw the ‘Bubble’ too. “Watching the bubble was weird. It was nice to be a fan for a little bit, but I definitely want to be playing competitive basketball and in games that matter,” he remarked.

Unlike a few years back, Warriors don’t carry the favorites tag, but Curry has a lot of weight to carry as Klay Thompson was ruled out for a second consecutive season. “It is going to be a tough year without him,” Curry admitted. Warriors will look to their No.2 Draft pick James Wiseman to play a bigger role and Curry knows the 19-year-old will contribute to make them a much better basketball team. “He has a game that doesn’t look like a 19-year-old. He doesn’t lack confidence and he knows he belongs here,” said Curry of Wiseman.

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Come Dec. 22 (Dec. 23 IST), Curry and the Warriors tip-off the 2020-21 NBA season against the Brooklyn Nets on the road and he knows the anticipation and expectations that will come with the game as Kevin Durant will play against his former teammates for the first time since moving to Brooklyn. Straight from Brooklyn they go to Milwaukee for Christmas Day game. “I have to figure out what we’re going to do in Milwaukee for Christmas,” Curry said with a grin, “But other than that it’s going to be pretty awesome just to be playing basketball again. I’m excited. It’s going to be here before you know it.”

Steph Curry, who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time.

Steph Curry, who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time. “I never had a time of not playing games for such a long time,” Curry said speaking to media after Golden State Warriors started their training camp with individual workouts on Wednesday. A league worst 15-50 record and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a longer than expected break for the Warriors, but Curry was going from strength-to-strength. As restrictions eased, he started playing in scrimmages eventually leading up to 5-on-5 workouts with teammates until last month. “It was good to kind of shake the cobwebs off and not wait until December to get competitive live-action before playing regular-season games,” said Curry. ALSO READ: NBA Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes In an off-season like never seen before, Curry was not only strengthening his left hand, but he kept himself relevant interviewing America’s lead expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made a virtual appearance at the Democratic National Convention and teed off with Phil Mickelson. And he saw the ‘Bubble’ too. “Watching the bubble was weird. It was nice to be a fan for a little bit, but I definitely want to be playing competitive basketball and in games that matter,” he remarked. Unlike a few years back, Warriors don’t carry the favorites tag, but Curry has a lot of weight to carry as Klay Thompson was ruled out for a second consecutive season. “It is going to be a tough year without him,” Curry admitted. Warriors will look to their No.2 Draft pick James Wiseman to play a bigger role and Curry knows the 19-year-old will contribute to make them a much better basketball team. “He has a game that doesn’t look like a 19-year-old. He doesn’t lack confidence and he knows he belongs here,” said Curry of Wiseman. ALSO READ: NBA: Paul and Walker chart different routes for the upcoming season Come Dec. 22 (Dec. 23 IST), Curry and the Warriors tip-off the 2020-21 NBA season against the Brooklyn Nets on the road and he knows the anticipation and expectations that will come with the game as Kevin Durant will play against his former teammates for the first time since moving to Brooklyn. Straight from Brooklyn they go to Milwaukee for Christmas Day game. “I have to figure out what we’re going to do in Milwaukee for Christmas,” Curry said with a grin, “But other than that it’s going to be pretty awesome just to be playing basketball again. I’m excited. It’s going to be here before you know it.”

NBA: 'I’m excited' - Stephen Curry back and raring to go in new season

The NBA announced Wednesday that 48 players have tested positive for the coronavirus, a dramatic increase over the zero positive tests reported during last season's quarantine bubble in Florida.

The league said the positive tests are the result of 546 tests carried out between November 24-30 as the NBA gets set to begin preseason games in nine days.&nbsp;

The zero positive tests were from the beginning of last season's quarantine bubble to the end of the season in mid-October.

One team, the&nbsp;Golden State Warriors, has already delayed the beginning of their individual workouts by a day this week because of players testing positive.

This was the initial round of tests for players as they returned to their teams ahead of the start of individual workouts on Tuesday. The NBA says it will be testing all of its players daily throughout the season.

The infection rate number is also higher than the 46 players that tested positive for Covid-19 in the weeks ahead of the start of the pandemic-disrupted season. The new results show the league has a positivity rate of 8.8 percent, which is high.

Under the league's tough new Covid-19 protocols, a players who tests positive has to refrain from workouts for at least 10 days and more if he is showing symptoms.

The NBA's first preseason games are December 11 with the regular season scheduled to begin less than two weeks later.

The NBA announced Wednesday that 48 players have tested positive for the coronavirus, a dramatic increase over the zero positive tests reported during last season's quarantine bubble in Florida.

The NBA announced Wednesday that 48 players have tested positive for the coronavirus, a dramatic increase over the zero positive tests reported during last season's quarantine bubble in Florida. The league said the positive tests are the result of 546 tests carried out between November 24-30 as the NBA gets set to begin preseason games in nine days. The zero positive tests were from the beginning of last season's quarantine bubble to the end of the season in mid-October. One team, the Golden State Warriors, has already delayed the beginning of their individual workouts by a day this week because of players testing positive. This was the initial round of tests for players as they returned to their teams ahead of the start of individual workouts on Tuesday. The NBA says it will be testing all of its players daily throughout the season. The infection rate number is also higher than the 46 players that tested positive for Covid-19 in the weeks ahead of the start of the pandemic-disrupted season. The new results show the league has a positivity rate of 8.8 percent, which is high. Under the league's tough new Covid-19 protocols, a players who tests positive has to refrain from workouts for at least 10 days and more if he is showing symptoms. The NBA's first preseason games are December 11 with the regular season scheduled to begin less than two weeks later.

NBA says 48 players test positive for Covid-19

Excitement and agony are the two feelings that described Chris Paul and Kemba Walker’s start of the 2020-21 preseason. While Paul marked his first day in the Phoenix Suns gym Wednesday, Walker is unlikely to start the season until January 2021 due to a troublesome knee.

On Wednesday, Paul was speaking to media for the first time since he was traded to the Suns. “Everyone always talks about like what I can teach Book or what I can teach some of these other guys, but they’re teaching me at the same time, too,” Paul said. “I’m not James Naismith by no means. “I’m their teammate, too. We here to hoop, we here to compete, and that’s the way I approach this.

Since the pandemic induced hiatus and return last season, Paul’s hands have been full as the president of the executive committee of the NBA Players’ Association, but he knows he a new job at hand at Phoenix.

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“The one thing about my approach, and I’m not saying that it’s always right and it’s not for everybody, but I’ll never ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself,” said Paul. Much of what he said was how the story of his season at Oklahoma City was defined. “The biggest thing I learned last year is you can write your own story,” he said. “We didn’t care about none of y’all’s predictions. Sometimes it’s nice to have a young team because they don’t know nothing else but to hoop and to play hard.”

In stark contrast of Paul’s energy, Walker is taking it slow, rightly so. “There’s no rush on my end,” Walker said. “I’m coming back when I need to come back and when I’m feeling good to play.” Boston Celtics need Walker to return at his best especially with Gordon Hayward signing a four-year, $120 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets, Walker’s previous employers.

&nbsp;

When asked if he was upset with Hornets offering big-money to Hayward, Walker said he couldn’t care less. “I made my choice to come here to Boston because this is where I wanted to be because it makes me happy. And, he’s happy. I’m sure he’s happy. He’s going to have a great time in Charlotte,” concluded Walker.

Excitement and agony are the two feelings that described Chris Paul and Kemba Walker’s start of the 2020-21 preseason. While Paul marked his first day in the Phoenix Suns gym Wednesday, Walker is unlikely to start the season until January 2021 due to a troublesome knee.

Excitement and agony are the two feelings that described Chris Paul and Kemba Walker’s start of the 2020-21 preseason. While Paul marked his first day in the Phoenix Suns gym Wednesday, Walker is unlikely to start the season until January 2021 due to a troublesome knee. On Wednesday, Paul was speaking to media for the first time since he was traded to the Suns. “Everyone always talks about like what I can teach Book or what I can teach some of these other guys, but they’re teaching me at the same time, too,” Paul said. “I’m not James Naismith by no means. “I’m their teammate, too. We here to hoop, we here to compete, and that’s the way I approach this. Since the pandemic induced hiatus and return last season, Paul’s hands have been full as the president of the executive committee of the NBA Players’ Association, but he knows he a new job at hand at Phoenix. ALSO READ: Coaches list their priorities as build-up to the 2020-21 NBA season begins “The one thing about my approach, and I’m not saying that it’s always right and it’s not for everybody, but I’ll never ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself,” said Paul. Much of what he said was how the story of his season at Oklahoma City was defined. “The biggest thing I learned last year is you can write your own story,” he said. “We didn’t care about none of y’all’s predictions. Sometimes it’s nice to have a young team because they don’t know nothing else but to hoop and to play hard.” In stark contrast of Paul’s energy, Walker is taking it slow, rightly so. “There’s no rush on my end,” Walker said. “I’m coming back when I need to come back and when I’m feeling good to play.” Boston Celtics need Walker to return at his best especially with Gordon Hayward signing a four-year, $120 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets, Walker’s previous employers. When asked if he was upset with Hornets offering big-money to Hayward, Walker said he couldn’t care less. “I made my choice to come here to Boston because this is where I wanted to be because it makes me happy. And, he’s happy. I’m sure he’s happy. He’s going to have a great time in Charlotte,” concluded Walker.

NBA: Paul and Walker chart different routes for the upcoming season

The build-up to the NBA’s 2020-21 season tipped-off with a media week. From a first-time Bubble to a first-time 72-game season, the teams are gearing up to the new normal.

But Doc Rivers, Philadelphia 76ers’ new head coach was as honest as he could be about the upcoming season. “I’m very concerned if we can pull this off.&nbsp;If we miss three or four players, we’re in trouble, especially with the amount of games, we’re playing 3-4 games a week,” said Rivers. “So if one of our guys or two of our key guys get the virus and they miss 10 days to 14 days, that can be eight games. In a 72-game season that can knock you out of the playoffs.”

Rivers said going into this season one of the chief concerns for almost every coach is probably non-basketball. But Steve Kerr is busy finding ways to fill a hole of the size of Klay Thompson.

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“There’s a hole in our hearts, just because he’s such a huge part of who we are,” Kerr said. “And [Thompson, Curry and Green] really are the core of this whole thing – what’s been built here over the last seven or eight years. That part is gonna be really tough for Steph and Draymond to get past. It’ll be hard for all of us to get past, but we have no choice but to do so.”

For Dallas Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle raising defensive levels is the top priority. “When you’re a galactically successful offensive team but a below-average defensive team, that’s not a recipe that’s going to win you an NBA title,” pointed Carlisle “You can never have enough toughness on a team, particularly with the way the Western Conference is shaping up. Big emphasis this season will be getting better defensively, not just with the new additions but also from a mentality perspective.”

Even first-time head coach Steve Nash echoes Carlisle’s point. “We realize that we’re trying to compete for a championship, and we have to be excellent defensively,” Nash said. “It’s going to be a process. It’s something we’re going to build all year.” A team laced with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Nash feels his centers DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen will have a key role to play for the Brooklyn Nets. “We have some centers that are vertical threats, so we can really put pressure on people above the rim but also stress them and make the court big and difficult to cover.”

Denver Nuggets, the team that lost to eventual champions LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, are accepting the reality and preparing for what’s coming up next.

Nuggets preseason schedule includes three games, first against Golden State Warriors on Dec. 12 followed by two against Portland Trailblazers on Dec. 16 &amp; 18. “Last year was a great season, one of the greatest in franchise history. That’s over. Can we build on that, that is the challenge now. I think it’s on that we are ready and excited to face,” head coach Mike Malone said as training camps began across the league.

&nbsp;

The preseason starts from December 11 (Dec. 12 in India) where all teams will play a minimum of two games and a maximum of four, with at least one home game and one away game on the schedule. The regular season is set to start on December 22 (Dec. 23 in India).

The build-up to the NBA’s 2020-21 season tipped-off with a media week. From a first-time Bubble to a first-time 72-game season, the teams are gearing up to the new normal.

The build-up to the NBA’s 2020-21 season tipped-off with a media week. From a first-time Bubble to a first-time 72-game season, the teams are gearing up to the new normal. But Doc Rivers, Philadelphia 76ers’ new head coach was as honest as he could be about the upcoming season. “I’m very concerned if we can pull this off. If we miss three or four players, we’re in trouble, especially with the amount of games, we’re playing 3-4 games a week,” said Rivers. “So if one of our guys or two of our key guys get the virus and they miss 10 days to 14 days, that can be eight games. In a 72-game season that can knock you out of the playoffs.” Rivers said going into this season one of the chief concerns for almost every coach is probably non-basketball. But Steve Kerr is busy finding ways to fill a hole of the size of Klay Thompson. ALSO READ: NBA Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes “There’s a hole in our hearts, just because he’s such a huge part of who we are,” Kerr said. “And [Thompson, Curry and Green] really are the core of this whole thing – what’s been built here over the last seven or eight years. That part is gonna be really tough for Steph and Draymond to get past. It’ll be hard for all of us to get past, but we have no choice but to do so.” For Dallas Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle raising defensive levels is the top priority. “When you’re a galactically successful offensive team but a below-average defensive team, that’s not a recipe that’s going to win you an NBA title,” pointed Carlisle “You can never have enough toughness on a team, particularly with the way the Western Conference is shaping up. Big emphasis this season will be getting better defensively, not just with the new additions but also from a mentality perspective.” Even first-time head coach Steve Nash echoes Carlisle’s point. “We realize that we’re trying to compete for a championship, and we have to be excellent defensively,” Nash said. “It’s going to be a process. It’s something we’re going to build all year.” A team laced with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Nash feels his centers DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen will have a key role to play for the Brooklyn Nets. “We have some centers that are vertical threats, so we can really put pressure on people above the rim but also stress them and make the court big and difficult to cover.” Denver Nuggets, the team that lost to eventual champions LA Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, are accepting the reality and preparing for what’s coming up next. Nuggets preseason schedule includes three games, first against Golden State Warriors on Dec. 12 followed by two against Portland Trailblazers on Dec. 16 & 18. “Last year was a great season, one of the greatest in franchise history. That’s over. Can we build on that, that is the challenge now. I think it’s on that we are ready and excited to face,” head coach Mike Malone said as training camps began across the league. The preseason starts from December 11 (Dec. 12 in India) where all teams will play a minimum of two games and a maximum of four, with at least one home game and one away game on the schedule. The regular season is set to start on December 22 (Dec. 23 in India).

Coaches list their priorities as build-up to the 2020-21 NBA season begins

Pope Francis&nbsp;hosted a delegation of NBA players and union officials at the Vatican in a bid to discuss the wide-ranging issues of racial equality and social justice. The delegation of five players and five union executives met with Pope Francis&nbsp;in the papal library of the Apostolic Palace on Monday, presenting gifts and discussed their share of experiences in tacking racism and social injustice. Interestingly, no one wore a mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

Photos and videos from the meeting showed at least 16 people sitting and exchanging gifts and opinions with no masks and almost no social-distancing measures.

The National Basketball Players Association (NLBPA) confirmed that the members of the delegation underwent COVID-19 tests before meeting Pope Francis, in accordance with the Vatican protocols.

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Pope Francis, 83, over the months, has received criticism for rarely wearing a mask while meeting people indoors.

Notably, the US has reported around 12 million coronavirus cases with death toll north to 250,000 from the virus – the most in the world.

The NBA player delegation included the likes of Sterling Brown and Kyle Korver of Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony Tolliver of the Memphis Grizzlies, Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic and Marco Belinelli of the San Antonio Spurs. Belinelli spoke to the Pope in Italian.&nbsp;

<h2>"Meeting validates the power of our players' voices"</h2>

“Today's meeting validates the power of our players' voices,” NLBPA executive director Michele Roberts said. “That one of the most influential leaders in the world sought to have a conversation with them demonstrates the influence of their platforms.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-announces-structure-and-format-for-2020-21-season-343846" hreflang="en">NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season</a>

The NBA became central to political storm this year in the aftermath of the massive Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest across the US after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, under police custody. Players boycotted matches after another African-American man Jacob Blake was shot dead by police in Wisconsin.

Korver stated that players were honoured to share their experiences with Pope Francis. “His openness and eagerness to discuss these issues was inspiring and a reminder that our work has had a global impact and must continue moving forward,” Korver said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-2020-draft-history-stats-and-all-the-numbers-you-need-to-know-343844" hreflang="en">NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know</a>

Pope Francis’s book is due out on December 1 in which he has supported demands for racial justice among many other social causes. 
&nbsp;

Pope Francis hosted a delegation of NBA players and union officials at the Vatican in a bid to discuss the wide-ranging issues of racial equality and social justice.

Pope Francis hosted a delegation of NBA players and union officials at the Vatican in a bid to discuss the wide-ranging issues of racial equality and social justice. The delegation of five players and five union executives met with Pope Francis in the papal library of the Apostolic Palace on Monday, presenting gifts and discussed their share of experiences in tacking racism and social injustice. Interestingly, no one wore a mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Photos and videos from the meeting showed at least 16 people sitting and exchanging gifts and opinions with no masks and almost no social-distancing measures. The National Basketball Players Association (NLBPA) confirmed that the members of the delegation underwent COVID-19 tests before meeting Pope Francis, in accordance with the Vatican protocols. ALSO READ: NBA Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes Pope Francis, 83, over the months, has received criticism for rarely wearing a mask while meeting people indoors. Notably, the US has reported around 12 million coronavirus cases with death toll north to 250,000 from the virus – the most in the world. The NBA player delegation included the likes of Sterling Brown and Kyle Korver of Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony Tolliver of the Memphis Grizzlies, Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic and Marco Belinelli of the San Antonio Spurs. Belinelli spoke to the Pope in Italian. "Meeting validates the power of our players' voices" “Today's meeting validates the power of our players' voices,” NLBPA executive director Michele Roberts said. “That one of the most influential leaders in the world sought to have a conversation with them demonstrates the influence of their platforms.” ALSO READ: NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season The NBA became central to political storm this year in the aftermath of the massive Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest across the US after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, under police custody. Players boycotted matches after another African-American man Jacob Blake was shot dead by police in Wisconsin. Korver stated that players were honoured to share their experiences with Pope Francis. “His openness and eagerness to discuss these issues was inspiring and a reminder that our work has had a global impact and must continue moving forward,” Korver said. ALSO READ: NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know Pope Francis’s book is due out on December 1 in which he has supported demands for racial justice among many other social causes.

Pope Francis hosts delegation of NBA players for maskless meeting over social justice

Sanjana Ramesh, the young prodigy from NBA Academy Women’s Program, has set well-defined goals for the much-awaited 2020-21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball season starting November 25th.

Representing the Northern Arizona University in the Big Sky conference, Sanjana is clear about where she sees herself this season. “I know I shouldn’t keep my expectations too high, but I do want to play at least 10 minutes each game. I want to be the leading shot-blocker in our conference and get at least six rebounds (each game), I have some very detailed goals for the season,” said the 19-year-old with confidence.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/completely-unacceptable-arsenal-leeds-condemn-online-abuse-of-pepe-alioski-344949" hreflang="en">'Completely unacceptable': Arsenal, Leeds condemn online abuse of Pepe, Alioski</a>

With the pandemic threat still looming large, Sanjana is wary of a curtailed season and is preparing to deal with the circumstances. “If anyone in the team tests positive for Covid-19, then we will have a 14-day shutdown with no practice, no play, nothing. Though we are all hoping to play all the 25 games this season, we need to be prepared for such a scenario,” Sanjana said.

While she wishes the season goes unaffected, the pandemic brought about changes in her daily routine, much like anyone else.&nbsp;“I feel like my whole life has been turned upside down. Playing with masks on is the strangest thing I have had to do. We are getting tested thrice a week, and there is no chance of hanging out with friends or playing pick-up games,” explained Sanjana.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sa-vs-eng-team-decision-to-not-take-the-knee-says-rabada-344913" hreflang="en">SA vs Eng: Team decision to not take the knee, says Rabada</a>

However, she is happy to forgo the luxury of stepping out with friends to unwind and live in isolation if it gives her an entire season to play in. “I certainly don’t want to encounter a situation where I test positive. You don’t want to take that risk so it’s best to stay in isolation and have a very good chance of playing a lot this year,” Sanjana admitted.&nbsp;

In May 2018, Sanjana became the second Indian-born female player to receive a Division I basketball scholarship after committing to the Northern Arizona University. The Bengaluru-girl was thankful for the exposure she got through the NBA Academy Women’s Program camp.

“Playing in Bengaluru all my life, my first thoughts when I got selected was that it is a big opportunity.&nbsp;I wanted to understand who all are coming, what kind of players they are. It was like a recruitment project, a whole new world for me, a complete eye-opener,” said Sanjana, who won the MVP at the first-ever NBA Academy Women’s Program camp and the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in 2018 held at the NBA Academy India.

Sanjana was also supportive in her university’s efforts to create awareness of the ongoing social justice movement in the U.S. “We marched during the Election Day wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts and were actively reaching out to the community through social media. I think we made a lot of efforts to get people heard,” said Sanjana.

The Northern Arizona University (NAU) will take on&nbsp;University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics in their first game of the 2020-21 NCAA season on November 25th.

Sanjana Ramesh, the young prodigy from NBA Academy Women’s Program, has set well-defined goals for the much-awaited 2020-21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball season starting November 25th.

Sanjana Ramesh, the young prodigy from NBA Academy Women’s Program, has set well-defined goals for the much-awaited 2020-21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball season starting November 25th. Representing the Northern Arizona University in the Big Sky conference, Sanjana is clear about where she sees herself this season. “I know I shouldn’t keep my expectations too high, but I do want to play at least 10 minutes each game. I want to be the leading shot-blocker in our conference and get at least six rebounds (each game), I have some very detailed goals for the season,” said the 19-year-old with confidence. ALSO READ: 'Completely unacceptable': Arsenal, Leeds condemn online abuse of Pepe, Alioski With the pandemic threat still looming large, Sanjana is wary of a curtailed season and is preparing to deal with the circumstances. “If anyone in the team tests positive for Covid-19, then we will have a 14-day shutdown with no practice, no play, nothing. Though we are all hoping to play all the 25 games this season, we need to be prepared for such a scenario,” Sanjana said. While she wishes the season goes unaffected, the pandemic brought about changes in her daily routine, much like anyone else. “I feel like my whole life has been turned upside down. Playing with masks on is the strangest thing I have had to do. We are getting tested thrice a week, and there is no chance of hanging out with friends or playing pick-up games,” explained Sanjana. ALSO READ: SA vs Eng: Team decision to not take the knee, says Rabada However, she is happy to forgo the luxury of stepping out with friends to unwind and live in isolation if it gives her an entire season to play in. “I certainly don’t want to encounter a situation where I test positive. You don’t want to take that risk so it’s best to stay in isolation and have a very good chance of playing a lot this year,” Sanjana admitted. In May 2018, Sanjana became the second Indian-born female player to receive a Division I basketball scholarship after committing to the Northern Arizona University. The Bengaluru-girl was thankful for the exposure she got through the NBA Academy Women’s Program camp. “Playing in Bengaluru all my life, my first thoughts when I got selected was that it is a big opportunity. I wanted to understand who all are coming, what kind of players they are. It was like a recruitment project, a whole new world for me, a complete eye-opener,” said Sanjana, who won the MVP at the first-ever NBA Academy Women’s Program camp and the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in 2018 held at the NBA Academy India. Sanjana was also supportive in her university’s efforts to create awareness of the ongoing social justice movement in the U.S. “We marched during the Election Day wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts and were actively reaching out to the community through social media. I think we made a lot of efforts to get people heard,” said Sanjana. The Northern Arizona University (NAU) will take on University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics in their first game of the 2020-21 NCAA season on November 25th.

Sanjana Ramesh has set ‘detailed goals’ for the upcoming NCAA season

The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday.

“That'll just be a balancing act throughout the season, recognizing that there was an extremely short layoff between championship and the start of the season and kind of figuring out what's best for LeBron, what's best for his health, the team's health, what's best for the league and kind of walking that carefully and thoughtfully throughout the year,” Pelinka said in a videoconference with reporters.

James and the Lakers polished off the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando on October 11.

With the 72-game 2020-21 season scheduled to tip off on December 22, it's less than a month to the start of training camps on December 1.

James, who will turn 36 on December 30, has never been a fan of "load management," the technique used by teams to give uninjured players rest during the season to make sure they're in peak shape when the playoffs roll around.

"If I'm healthy, I play,” James said last December. "I mean, that should be the approach."

But without the usual four months to recover from the rigors of the previous season, even former president Barack Obama has suggested that James may have to spend less time on court.

Obama, appearing on an episode of HBO's "The Shop" said James is "definitely going to have some minutes restrictions” in the new season -- quipping that he should let younger teammate Anthony Davis absorb the load.

"That’s what I got him for," James said.

The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday.

The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday. “That'll just be a balancing act throughout the season, recognizing that there was an extremely short layoff between championship and the start of the season and kind of figuring out what's best for LeBron, what's best for his health, the team's health, what's best for the league and kind of walking that carefully and thoughtfully throughout the year,” Pelinka said in a videoconference with reporters. James and the Lakers polished off the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando on October 11. With the 72-game 2020-21 season scheduled to tip off on December 22, it's less than a month to the start of training camps on December 1. James, who will turn 36 on December 30, has never been a fan of "load management," the technique used by teams to give uninjured players rest during the season to make sure they're in peak shape when the playoffs roll around. "If I'm healthy, I play,” James said last December. "I mean, that should be the approach." But without the usual four months to recover from the rigors of the previous season, even former president Barack Obama has suggested that James may have to spend less time on court. Obama, appearing on an episode of HBO's "The Shop" said James is "definitely going to have some minutes restrictions” in the new season -- quipping that he should let younger teammate Anthony Davis absorb the load. "That’s what I got him for," James said.

NBA champion Lakers face 'balancing act' in fast-approaching season

As many as 60 international and collegiate basketball players were signed by their respective new teams after the completion of the NBA 2020 Draft on Wednesday. Anthony Edwards was the #1 pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves whereas the starlet LaMelo Ball went #3 to Charlotte Hornets.&nbsp;

Isaac Okoro went to the Cavaliers as the #5 pick in the draft with the event filled with many such highlights including trades and busy hours for teams like Timberwolves.

Let us relive the most notable moments and highlights from the night as they happened.

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With the 60th pick of the NBA Draft, the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> select Sam Merrill (<a href="https://twitter.com/smerrill05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smerrill05</a>)! 
 
Check out the final draft results for the 2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraft</a>⤵ 
 
💻: <a href="https://t.co/6xQOwVKXCG">https://t.co/6xQOwVKXCG</a> <a href="https://t.co/I6qQKJZ6T2">pic.twitter.com/I6qQKJZ6T2</a>
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBADraft/status/1329294766329237505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-announces-structure-and-format-for-2020-21-season-343846" hreflang="en">NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season</a>

<h2>NBA 2020 Draft: Trivia</h2>

<ol>
	<li>The Minnesota Timberwolves made the first pick for the second time in franchise history, selecting Georgia’s Anthony Edwards. In 2015, Minnesota used the top pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.</li>
	<li>At #2, James Wiseman is Golden State Warriors highest selection since drafting Harrison Barnes with the seventh pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Warriors picked second for the first time in the common draft era.</li>
	<li>The Charlotte Hornets picked third (LaMelo Ball) for the third time in franchise history. The Hornets previously selected Baron Davis (1999) and Adam Morrison (2006) with the third pick. LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball are the first pair of brothers in NBA history to each be selected in the top five of the NBA Draft.</li>
	<li>Florida State’s Patrick Williams, the fourth pick by the Chicago Bulls, joins Hall of Famer Dave Cowens as the highest draft pick in Seminoles history. Williams is Chicago’s highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008.</li>
	<li>Killian Hayes was selected 7th overall by Detroit Pistons, becoming the highest-drafted French player ever. Hayes was named an All-Star at two Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global camps as part of NBA All-Star 2018 and 2019 and becomes the ninth former BWB camper to be drafted in the top 10 in the last five years.</li>
	<li>Deni Avdija is the second player from Israel to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (#9), joining Omri Casspi, the 23rd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Avdija is Chicago’s highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008.</li>
	<li>The San Antonio Spurs selected Florida State’s Devin Vassell with the 11th pick, their first selection in the NBA Draft Lottery since 1997, when they selected 15-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan with the first pick. The Spurs’ highest selection since Duncan was Lonnie Walker III with the 18th pick in 2018.</li>
</ol>

<h2>NBA 2020 Draft: Top Picks and Quotes</h2>

<h2>Anthony Edwards to Minnesota Timberwolves</h2>

"I feel like I'm going to fit perfect with those guys because (D’Angelo) Russell likes to play off the ball sometimes, and I can play on the ball. When he wants to play on the rock, I can play off the ball. And KAT is the best three-point shooting big man in the league. So I feel we can't go wrong with that, a lot of pick-and-pops, pick-and-rolls and such."

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With the 1st pick of the NBA Draft, the <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Timberwolves</a> select Anthony Edwards (<a href="https://twitter.com/theantman05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theantman05</a>)! 
 
2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraft</a> presented by State Farm LIVE on ESPN!
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBADraft/status/1329230774382579712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<h2>James Wiseman to Golden State Warriors</h2>

"I have a great relationship with Steph. Obviously, I went to his camp, so he taught me a lot. When I was in high school, he taught me a lot about the game of basketball, gave me a lot of information. I just took a picture with him. So that's my guy."

<h2>LaMelo Ball to Charlotte Hornets</h2>

"I definitely feel great falling into with them. But the way I've fallen down, I never looked at it like that because, like I say, whatever happens happens, and I feel like it's God's plan. So wherever he wanted to put me, that's where he put me, and I feel like he's going to let me blossom there."

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With the 3rd pick of the NBA Draft, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> select LaMelo Ball (<a href="https://twitter.com/MELOD1P?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELOD1P</a>)! 
 
2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraft</a> presented by State Farm
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBADraft/status/1329234110309658624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Patrick Williams to Chicago Bulls</h2>

"I can't really say too much, but I just know my dreams are bigger than draft night. I think I'd rather show you what those dreams are rather than tell you right now. I'm just ready to get to Chicago and get to work on those dreams."

<h2>Isaac Okoro to Cleveland Cavaliers</h2>

"It feels great to be the first Nigerian in this draft to be drafted. It's also just a blessing. Like you said, my mom always tells me to keep that Nigerian pride. Even though I wasn't born in Nigeria, I still got Nigerian blood. So it's just having that on my shoulders."

<h2>Onyeka Okongwu to Atlanta Hawks</h2>

"Obviously my favorite player is LeBron James and Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. I feel like those are the top players in the league, and obviously I want to go up against the Ball brothers. They were my teammates in high school, so having that friendly battle against them, I'm really looking forward to that."

<h2>Killian Hayes to Detroit Pistons</h2>

"I can definitely learn from him. I remember when I was like 10, 11, watching D. Rose highlights. I can really learn a lot from him about the game. He played in the league for a long time now, so he knows the game and how it goes down in the NBA."

<h2>Obi Toppin to New York Knicks</h2>

"I feel like nothing has came easy for me. I went through a lot of things growing up, and I feel like through those struggles and through those bad times that I've been through growing up, it's made me the person and player that I am today. I learned from those experiences on court and off court. I feel like going through those experiences helped me become who I am today, and I wouldn't change it for anything."

<h2>Deni Advija to Washington Wizards</h2>

"I didn't imagine that. It was crazy for me. Israel is such a small country that doesn't provide as many NBA players as other countries, but for me just to represent my country and to make history, that's a blessing. I have the whole nation behind me. I hope I'm going to represent well. I never dreamed about this moment. I'm thinking it's just still a dream. I mean, I don't have any words."

<h2>Jalen Smith to Phoenix Suns</h2>

"Pretty much what I bring to the Phoenix Suns is defensive versatility. Like I said before, every team has tremendous scorers. So we have Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton. I feel that's where I can make my impact the most, help them create the offense."

As many as 60 international and collegiate basketball players were signed by their respective new teams after the completion of the NBA 2020 Draft on Wednesday. Anthony Edwards was the #1 pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves whereas the starlet LaMelo Ball went #3 to Charlotte Hornets.

As many as 60 international and collegiate basketball players were signed by their respective new teams after the completion of the NBA 2020 Draft on Wednesday. Anthony Edwards was the #1 pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves whereas the starlet LaMelo Ball went #3 to Charlotte Hornets. Isaac Okoro went to the Cavaliers as the #5 pick in the draft with the event filled with many such highlights including trades and busy hours for teams like Timberwolves. Let us relive the most notable moments and highlights from the night as they happened. With the 60th pick of the NBA Draft, the @PelicansNBA select Sam Merrill (@smerrill05)! Check out the final draft results for the 2020 #NBADraft⤵ 💻: https://t.co/6xQOwVKXCG pic.twitter.com/I6qQKJZ6T2 — NBA Draft (@NBADraft) November 19, 2020 × ALSO READ: NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season NBA 2020 Draft: Trivia The Minnesota Timberwolves made the first pick for the second time in franchise history, selecting Georgia’s Anthony Edwards. In 2015, Minnesota used the top pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. At #2, James Wiseman is Golden State Warriors highest selection since drafting Harrison Barnes with the seventh pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Warriors picked second for the first time in the common draft era. The Charlotte Hornets picked third (LaMelo Ball) for the third time in franchise history. The Hornets previously selected Baron Davis (1999) and Adam Morrison (2006) with the third pick. LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball are the first pair of brothers in NBA history to each be selected in the top five of the NBA Draft. Florida State’s Patrick Williams, the fourth pick by the Chicago Bulls, joins Hall of Famer Dave Cowens as the highest draft pick in Seminoles history. Williams is Chicago’s highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008. Killian Hayes was selected 7th overall by Detroit Pistons, becoming the highest-drafted French player ever. Hayes was named an All-Star at two Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global camps as part of NBA All-Star 2018 and 2019 and becomes the ninth former BWB camper to be drafted in the top 10 in the last five years. Deni Avdija is the second player from Israel to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (#9), joining Omri Casspi, the 23rd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Avdija is Chicago’s highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008. The San Antonio Spurs selected Florida State’s Devin Vassell with the 11th pick, their first selection in the NBA Draft Lottery since 1997, when they selected 15-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan with the first pick. The Spurs’ highest selection since Duncan was Lonnie Walker III with the 18th pick in 2018. NBA 2020 Draft: Top Picks and Quotes Anthony Edwards to Minnesota Timberwolves "I feel like I'm going to fit perfect with those guys because (D’Angelo) Russell likes to play off the ball sometimes, and I can play on the ball. When he wants to play on the rock, I can play off the ball. And KAT is the best three-point shooting big man in the league. So I feel we can't go wrong with that, a lot of pick-and-pops, pick-and-rolls and such." With the 1st pick of the NBA Draft, the @Timberwolves select Anthony Edwards (@theantman05)! 2020 #NBADraft presented by State Farm LIVE on ESPN! — NBA Draft (@NBADraft) November 19, 2020 × James Wiseman to Golden State Warriors "I have a great relationship with Steph. Obviously, I went to his camp, so he taught me a lot. When I was in high school, he taught me a lot about the game of basketball, gave me a lot of information. I just took a picture with him. So that's my guy." LaMelo Ball to Charlotte Hornets "I definitely feel great falling into with them. But the way I've fallen down, I never looked at it like that because, like I say, whatever happens happens, and I feel like it's God's plan. So wherever he wanted to put me, that's where he put me, and I feel like he's going to let me blossom there." With the 3rd pick of the NBA Draft, the @hornets select LaMelo Ball (@MELOD1P)! 2020 #NBADraft presented by State Farm — NBA Draft (@NBADraft) November 19, 2020 × Patrick Williams to Chicago Bulls "I can't really say too much, but I just know my dreams are bigger than draft night. I think I'd rather show you what those dreams are rather than tell you right now. I'm just ready to get to Chicago and get to work on those dreams." Isaac Okoro to Cleveland Cavaliers "It feels great to be the first Nigerian in this draft to be drafted. It's also just a blessing. Like you said, my mom always tells me to keep that Nigerian pride. Even though I wasn't born in Nigeria, I still got Nigerian blood. So it's just having that on my shoulders." Onyeka Okongwu to Atlanta Hawks "Obviously my favorite player is LeBron James and Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. I feel like those are the top players in the league, and obviously I want to go up against the Ball brothers. They were my teammates in high school, so having that friendly battle against them, I'm really looking forward to that." Killian Hayes to Detroit Pistons "I can definitely learn from him. I remember when I was like 10, 11, watching D. Rose highlights. I can really learn a lot from him about the game. He played in the league for a long time now, so he knows the game and how it goes down in the NBA." Obi Toppin to New York Knicks "I feel like nothing has came easy for me. I went through a lot of things growing up, and I feel like through those struggles and through those bad times that I've been through growing up, it's made me the person and player that I am today. I learned from those experiences on court and off court. I feel like going through those experiences helped me become who I am today, and I wouldn't change it for anything." Deni Advija to Washington Wizards "I didn't imagine that. It was crazy for me. Israel is such a small country that doesn't provide as many NBA players as other countries, but for me just to represent my country and to make history, that's a blessing. I have the whole nation behind me. I hope I'm going to represent well. I never dreamed about this moment. I'm thinking it's just still a dream. I mean, I don't have any words." Jalen Smith to Phoenix Suns "Pretty much what I bring to the Phoenix Suns is defensive versatility. Like I said before, every team has tremendous scorers. So we have Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton. I feel that's where I can make my impact the most, help them create the offense."

NBA Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes

With less than 24 hours away from a career-defining moment, LaMelo Ball bottled his excitement for the D-Day. The brevity of his answers to any and all questions didn’t give away anything until he was asked about why he should be the #1 pick. “I was born to be #1 pick,” asserted Ball. “Being the #1 pick definitely holds a lot to me.”

The youngest of the Ball brothers has been a journeyman even before getting drafted into the NBA. Having played professionally in the Australian NBL, Lithuania, competing at the SPIRE Institute in Ohio after leaving Chino Hills (Calif.) High School as a junior, Ball feels all the stops helped him become a better player. “I feel like when you go overseas, it’s a whole new different style of play; something that you can just add to the arsenal,” Ball said. “So, I feel like it helped me in that aspect.”

Ask him if it was a gamble to not have college experience and play professionally, Ball shrugs it off. “You could say it was a gamble, but for me, I already figured out what was gonna happen, me going there, what I was getting myself into,” said Ball.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-announces-structure-and-format-for-2020-21-season-343846" hreflang="en">NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season</a>

In Detroit since March for Draft training, Ball conducted workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons. The Timberwolves, Warriors and Hornets own the top three picks.

But his father LaVar Ball has other ideas as he wants LaMelo to play for the New York Knicks or Pistons. “He probably just likes the big market,” the 6ft 7in player said. “He raised me, taught me the game pretty much; everything I knew when I was little. So, I appreciate all that. It’s my pops, so he’s always gonna be involved.”

Ball’s brother Lonzo is a guard with the New Orleans Pelicans and was also the second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. So, Ball knows the weight of expectations on his shoulder but isn’t too worried about it. “I am ok. No pressure, it is just basketball. I am cool,” said Ball.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-2020-draft-history-stats-and-all-the-numbers-you-need-to-know-343844" hreflang="en">NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know</a>

All this might change a little bit though minutes after his name is announced. But Ball is ready to play the role that comes with being one of the most spoken about the prospect. “Pretty much whenever I get there, and [whatever] the coach asks me to do, I’m gonna do,” he said of his role with the team that drafts him.

For now, his typical day is about waking up, going to work out and shoot, get some breakfast, come back and stretch, go to the gym at around 6 PM, come back, eat while watching a movie and repeat it the next day. This routine may never be the same again after the 2020 NBA Draft.

2020 NBA DRAFT ORDER

1. Minnesota 2. Golden State 3. Charlotte 4. Chicago 5. Cleveland 6. Atlanta 7. Detroit 8. New York 9. Washington 10. Phoenix 11. San Antonio 12. Sacramento 13. New Orleans 14. Boston (from Memphis) 15. Orlando 16. Portland 17. Minnesota (from Brooklyn via Atlanta) 18. Dallas 19. Brooklyn (from Philadelphia via LA Clippers) 20. Miami 21. Philadelphia (from OKC via Orlando and Philadelphia) 22. Denver (from Houston) 23. Utah 24. Milwaukee (from Indiana) 25. Oklahoma City (from Denver) 26. Boston 27. New York (from LA Clippers) 28. Los Angeles Lakers 29. Toronto 30. Boston (from Milwaukee via Phoenix) 31. Dallas (from Golden State) 32. Charlotte (from Cleveland via LA Clippers and Orlando) 33. Minnesota 34. Philadelphia (from Atlanta) 35. Sacramento (from Detroit via Phoenix) 36. Philadelphia (from New York) 37. Washington (from Chicago) 38. New York (from Charlotte) 39. New Orleans (from Washington via Milwaukee) 40. Memphis (from Phoenix) 41. San Antonio 42. New Orleans 43. Sacramento 44. Chicago (from Memphis) 45. Orlando 46. Portland 47. Boston (from Brooklyn via Charlotte, Orlando and Philadelphia) 48. Golden State (from Dallas via Philadelphia) 49. Philadelphia 50. Atlanta (from Miami via Sacramento, Cleveland and Boston) 51. Golden State (from Utah via Dallas, Detroit and Cleveland) 52. Sacramento (from Houston) 53. Oklahoma City 54. Indiana 55. Brooklyn (from Denver) 56. Charlotte (from Boston) 57. LA Clippers 58. Philadelphia (from Los Angeles Lakers via Orlando) 59. Toronto 60. New Orleans (from Milwaukee)

With less than 24 hours away from a career-defining moment, LaMelo Ball bottled his excitement for the D-Day. The brevity of his answers to any and all questions didn’t give away anything until he was asked about why he should be the #1 pick.

With less than 24 hours away from a career-defining moment, LaMelo Ball bottled his excitement for the D-Day. The brevity of his answers to any and all questions didn’t give away anything until he was asked about why he should be the #1 pick. “I was born to be #1 pick,” asserted Ball. “Being the #1 pick definitely holds a lot to me.” The youngest of the Ball brothers has been a journeyman even before getting drafted into the NBA. Having played professionally in the Australian NBL, Lithuania, competing at the SPIRE Institute in Ohio after leaving Chino Hills (Calif.) High School as a junior, Ball feels all the stops helped him become a better player. “I feel like when you go overseas, it’s a whole new different style of play; something that you can just add to the arsenal,” Ball said. “So, I feel like it helped me in that aspect.” Ask him if it was a gamble to not have college experience and play professionally, Ball shrugs it off. “You could say it was a gamble, but for me, I already figured out what was gonna happen, me going there, what I was getting myself into,” said Ball. ALSO READ: NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season In Detroit since March for Draft training, Ball conducted workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons. The Timberwolves, Warriors and Hornets own the top three picks. But his father LaVar Ball has other ideas as he wants LaMelo to play for the New York Knicks or Pistons. “He probably just likes the big market,” the 6ft 7in player said. “He raised me, taught me the game pretty much; everything I knew when I was little. So, I appreciate all that. It’s my pops, so he’s always gonna be involved.” Ball’s brother Lonzo is a guard with the New Orleans Pelicans and was also the second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. So, Ball knows the weight of expectations on his shoulder but isn’t too worried about it. “I am ok. No pressure, it is just basketball. I am cool,” said Ball. ALSO READ: NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know All this might change a little bit though minutes after his name is announced. But Ball is ready to play the role that comes with being one of the most spoken about the prospect. “Pretty much whenever I get there, and [whatever] the coach asks me to do, I’m gonna do,” he said of his role with the team that drafts him. For now, his typical day is about waking up, going to work out and shoot, get some breakfast, come back and stretch, go to the gym at around 6 PM, come back, eat while watching a movie and repeat it the next day. This routine may never be the same again after the 2020 NBA Draft. 2020 NBA DRAFT ORDER 1. Minnesota 2. Golden State 3. Charlotte 4. Chicago 5. Cleveland 6. Atlanta 7. Detroit 8. New York 9. Washington 10. Phoenix 11. San Antonio 12. Sacramento 13. New Orleans 14. Boston (from Memphis) 15. Orlando 16. Portland 17. Minnesota (from Brooklyn via Atlanta) 18. Dallas 19. Brooklyn (from Philadelphia via LA Clippers) 20. Miami 21. Philadelphia (from OKC via Orlando and Philadelphia) 22. Denver (from Houston) 23. Utah 24. Milwaukee (from Indiana) 25. Oklahoma City (from Denver) 26. Boston 27. New York (from LA Clippers) 28. Los Angeles Lakers 29. Toronto 30. Boston (from Milwaukee via Phoenix) 31. Dallas (from Golden State) 32. Charlotte (from Cleveland via LA Clippers and Orlando) 33. Minnesota 34. Philadelphia (from Atlanta) 35. Sacramento (from Detroit via Phoenix) 36. Philadelphia (from New York) 37. Washington (from Chicago) 38. New York (from Charlotte) 39. New Orleans (from Washington via Milwaukee) 40. Memphis (from Phoenix) 41. San Antonio 42. New Orleans 43. Sacramento 44. Chicago (from Memphis) 45. Orlando 46. Portland 47. Boston (from Brooklyn via Charlotte, Orlando and Philadelphia) 48. Golden State (from Dallas via Philadelphia) 49. Philadelphia 50. Atlanta (from Miami via Sacramento, Cleveland and Boston) 51. Golden State (from Utah via Dallas, Detroit and Cleveland) 52. Sacramento (from Houston) 53. Oklahoma City 54. Indiana 55. Brooklyn (from Denver) 56. Charlotte (from Boston) 57. LA Clippers 58. Philadelphia (from Los Angeles Lakers via Orlando) 59. Toronto 60. New Orleans (from Milwaukee)

I was born to be the #1 pick: LaMelo Ball

The NBA on Wednesday announced the structure and format for the 2020-21 season, which will include a Play-In Tournament to determine the teams that will fill the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference.

The NBA’s 75th&nbsp;regular season will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 22 and feature 72 games for each team.&nbsp; The opponent breakdown for the regular season are described below:

<ul type="disc">
	<li data-ogsc="black">Each team will play three games against each intraconference opponent (42 total games per team), with each pairing featuring either two home games and one road game or one home game and two road games.&nbsp; Within each team’s division, the league office has randomly assigned which two opponents will be played twice at home and which two opponents will be played twice on the road.</li>
	<li data-ogsc="black">All five teams from within a division will play all five teams from one other intraconference division twice at home, and all five teams from the remaining intraconference division twice on the road.&nbsp;</li>
	<li data-ogsc="black">Each team will play&nbsp;two games against each interconference opponent (30 total games per team), with each pairing featuring one home game and one road game.</li>
</ul>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-2020-draft-history-stats-and-all-the-numbers-you-need-to-know-343844" hreflang="en">NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know</a>

The 2020-21 regular-season schedule will be released in two segments.&nbsp; The schedule for the First Half of the season will be released around the start of training camp.&nbsp; The schedule for the Second Half of the season will be released during the latter part of the First Half portion of the schedule.&nbsp; The Second Half schedule will include the remainder of each team’s 72 games not scheduled in the First Half as well as any games postponed during the First Half that can reasonably be added to the Second Half schedule.

The All-Star break is scheduled to take place March 5-10, 2021, between the First Half and Second Half of the regular season.

Earlier on Wednesday, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved a proposal to implement a playoff Play-In Tournament on a one-year basis for the 2020-21 season.&nbsp; The Play-In Tournament, which will take place after the regular season and before the first round of the playoffs, will include the teams with the seventh-highest through the tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference.

The teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot.&nbsp; The teams with the ninth-highest and tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the team with the seventh-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the eighth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game (the “Seven-Eight Game”).&nbsp; The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will be the seventh seed in the playoffs for its conference.

The team with the ninth-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the tenth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game (the “Nine-Ten Game”).&nbsp; The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, and the winner of that game will be the eighth seed in the playoffs for its conference.

<h2>Below is the tentative schedule calendar for the 2020-21 season:</h2>

<ul type="disc">
	<li>Dec. 11-19, 2020: Preseason games</li>
	<li>Dec. 22, 2020 – March 4, 2021: First Half of regular season</li>
	<li>March 5-10, 2021: All-Star break</li>
	<li>March 11 – May 16, 2021: Second Half of regular season</li>
	<li>May 18-21, 2021: Play-In Tournament</li>
	<li>May 22 – July 22, 2021: 2021 NBA Playoffs</li>
</ul>

The NBA on Wednesday announced the structure and format for the 2020-21 season, which will include a Play-In Tournament to determine the teams that will fill the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference.

The NBA on Wednesday announced the structure and format for the 2020-21 season, which will include a Play-In Tournament to determine the teams that will fill the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference. The NBA’s 75th regular season will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 22 and feature 72 games for each team. The opponent breakdown for the regular season are described below: Each team will play three games against each intraconference opponent (42 total games per team), with each pairing featuring either two home games and one road game or one home game and two road games. Within each team’s division, the league office has randomly assigned which two opponents will be played twice at home and which two opponents will be played twice on the road. All five teams from within a division will play all five teams from one other intraconference division twice at home, and all five teams from the remaining intraconference division twice on the road. Each team will play two games against each interconference opponent (30 total games per team), with each pairing featuring one home game and one road game. ALSO READ: NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know The 2020-21 regular-season schedule will be released in two segments. The schedule for the First Half of the season will be released around the start of training camp. The schedule for the Second Half of the season will be released during the latter part of the First Half portion of the schedule. The Second Half schedule will include the remainder of each team’s 72 games not scheduled in the First Half as well as any games postponed during the First Half that can reasonably be added to the Second Half schedule. The All-Star break is scheduled to take place March 5-10, 2021, between the First Half and Second Half of the regular season. Earlier on Wednesday, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved a proposal to implement a playoff Play-In Tournament on a one-year basis for the 2020-21 season. The Play-In Tournament, which will take place after the regular season and before the first round of the playoffs, will include the teams with the seventh-highest through the tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference. The teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot. The teams with the ninth-highest and tenth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot. At the conclusion of the regular season, the team with the seventh-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the eighth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game (the “Seven-Eight Game”). The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will be the seventh seed in the playoffs for its conference. The team with the ninth-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the tenth-highest winning percentage in its conference in a Play-In Game (the “Nine-Ten Game”). The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, and the winner of that game will be the eighth seed in the playoffs for its conference. Below is the tentative schedule calendar for the 2020-21 season: Dec. 11-19, 2020: Preseason games Dec. 22, 2020 – March 4, 2021: First Half of regular season March 5-10, 2021: All-Star break March 11 – May 16, 2021: Second Half of regular season May 18-21, 2021: Play-In Tournament May 22 – July 22, 2021: 2021 NBA Playoffs

NBA announces structure and format for 2020-21 season

NBA Draft 2020 will be held virtually on Wednesday, November&nbsp;18 at 8 pm&nbsp;ET at ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, airing live on ESPN, ESPN Radio and the ESPN App. &nbsp;ESPN’s pre-draft coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. &nbsp;

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum will appear in-studio at ESPN to announce the selections for the first and second rounds, respectively. Select draftees, including many of the potential top picks, will appear virtually throughout the broadcast. &nbsp;

<h2>Here is a by-the-numbers look at this year’s NBA Draft: &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

History&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>1 – NBA Draft 2020&nbsp;will be the league’s first virtual draft and the first draft held at ESPN.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>7 – Seven players have played in the NBA G League before being drafted by an NBA team, the most recent being Alen Smailagić, the 39th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>10 – A college freshman has been selected with the first overall pick in each of the last 10 drafts. &nbsp;The last non-freshman to be the first overall draft pick was Oklahoma sophomore Blake Griffin in 2009.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>14 – This marks the 14th consecutive year that Adam Silver will announce draft selections as either deputy commissioner (seven years) or commissioner (seven years including 2020).&nbsp;</li>
	<li>107 – The distance between Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, the venue for the last seven NBA Drafts, and ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, the site of this year’s draft, is approximately 107 miles.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>146 – The 2020 NBA Draft will take place 146 days after its originally scheduled date of June 25.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>1975 – This is the first NBA Draft not held in June since 1975.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>1989 – The current two-round format for the NBA Draft was adopted in 1989.&nbsp; 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Teams&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>1 – The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to make the first overall pick in the NBA Draft for the second time. &nbsp;In 2015, the Timberwolves used the first overall pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>2 – The Warriors are poised to make the second overall pick in the NBA Draft for the first time in the common draft era (since 1966). &nbsp;</li>
	<li>3 – The Boston Celtics hold three first-round picks (Nos. 14, 26 and 30) after making three first-round picks last year. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>5 – The Philadelphia 76ers have a league-high five picks in this year’s draft (No. 21 in the first round and Nos. 34, 36, 49 and 58 in the second round).&nbsp;</li>
	<li>11 – With the 11th selection of the first round, the San Antonio Spurs are preparing to make their highest draft pick since selecting Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in 1997. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Class Superlatives&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>1 – Memphis center James Wiseman was ESPN’s No. 1-ranked high school player in the Class of 2019. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>6 – Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton recorded the sixth triple-double in school history during the 2019-20 season. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>8 – USC forward Onyeka Okongwu matched a single-game school record last season with eight blocked shots in his first collegiate game.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>16 – Maccabi Tel Aviv guard-forward Deni Avdija made his professional debut with his current team at age 16 (he turns 20 in January). &nbsp;</li>
	<li>19.1 – Georgia guard Anthony Edwards was the nation’s freshman scoring leader at 19.1 points per game in the 2019-20 season. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>107 – Dayton forward Obi Toppin, the 2019-20 consensus National Player of the Year, led the nation and set a single-season school record with 107 dunks last season.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>2005 – Last season, Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball became the first player to post triple-doubles in back-to-back games in Australia’s National Basketball League since 2005. &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Family Ties&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>5 – Duke guard Tre Jones and his brother Tyus of the Memphis Grizzlies combined to win five Gatorade Minnesota Boys Basketball Player of the Year awards in high school.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>6 – Arizona guard Nico Mannion is the son of Pace Mannion, who played six NBA seasons.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>8 – Duke center Vernon Carey Jr.’s father, Vernon Sr., played eight NFL seasons as an offensive lineman with the Miami Dolphins.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>12 – North Carolina guard Cole Anthony’s father, Greg, now a basketball analyst for Turner Sports, was the 12th pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>16 – Washington forward Jaden McDaniels is the brother of Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels, who appeared in 16 NBA games as a rookie in the 2019-20 season.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>1,512 – Vanderbilt guard Saben Lee is the son of former Florida State All-America running back Amp Lee, who rushed for 1,512 yards in the NFL. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>1982 – Maccabi Tel Aviv guard-forward Deni Avdija’s father, Zufer, won a bronze medal with Yugoslavia at the 1982 FIBA Basketball World Cup.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>2000 – IMG Academy forward KJ Martin is the son of Kenyon Martin, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>5.6M – Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball, the brother of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball, has more than 5.6 million followers on Instagram. &nbsp; 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Global Game&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>3 – This year’s draft class has the potential to break the record (three) for most players from one Basketball Without Borders camp in the same draft. &nbsp;Killian Hayes (France), Josh Green (Australia), Leandro Bolmaro (Argentina), Paul Eboua (Cameroon) and Vit Krejčí (Czech Republic) all participated in BWB Global 2018 as part of NBA All-Star 2018.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>5 – This year’s draft class has the potential to break the record (five) for most players from Africa selected in one NBA Draft.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>7 – Seven players in this year’s draft class have ties to Nigeria. &nbsp;Kansas center Udoka Azubuike and Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa are from Nigeria, and an additional five potential draftees have at least one parent from Nigeria: Isaac Okoro (Auburn), Onyeka Okongwu (USC), Zeke Nnaji (Arizona), Daniel Oturu (Minnesota) and Jordan Nwora (Louisville).&nbsp;</li>
	<li>7/22 – Deni Avdija and Killian Hayes are seeking to become the highest-drafted players ever from Israel and France, respectively. &nbsp;If Hayes is drafted in the top seven, he will be the highest-drafted French player ever. &nbsp;If Avdija is drafted in the top 22, he will be the highest-drafted Israeli player ever. &nbsp;Avdija and Hayes competed against one another at Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global 2019 as part of NBA All-Star 2019. &nbsp;Avdija was named MVP of the camp while Hayes was named an All-Star.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>13 – There have been 13 international players drafted No. 1 overall, most recently the Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) in 2018.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>27 – A record 27 international players were drafted in 2016, including a record 15 in the first round and a record-tying 12 in the second round.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>69 – Since 2001, 69 former Basketball Without Borders campers have been drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents.</li>
</ul>

Partnership/Tech&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>17 – ESPN will deliver live look-ins from 17 team draft rooms. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>18 – ESPN will present the NBA Draft for the 18th consecutive year. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>19 – Nineteen broadcast satellite trucks will be used to help present the draft, including 15 trucks throughout the U.S. and four trucks internationally to connect with prospects located in France, Greece, Israel and Spain.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>30 – In this unique year, 30 draft prospects received NBA Draft Gifting Lockers, which featured media kits (Microsoft Surface tablet, Beat Powerbeats Pro earbuds, iPhone with tripod, Ring light, Beats Pill wireless speaker) and a variety of products from NBA partners including Spalding, New Era, Beats By Dr. Dre and Oculus.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>180 – More than 180 young people from the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America, Learn Fresh, TAPS and Jr. NBA joined 30 Draft prospects for a NBA Cares “Road to Success” virtual community series presented State Farm® on Monday, discussing topics such as physical and mental wellness, leadership, activism, mentorship and more. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

NBA Draft 2020 will be held virtually on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 pm ET at ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, airing live on ESPN, ESPN Radio and the ESPN App.

NBA Draft 2020 will be held virtually on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 pm ET at ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, airing live on ESPN, ESPN Radio and the ESPN App. ESPN’s pre-draft coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum will appear in-studio at ESPN to announce the selections for the first and second rounds, respectively. Select draftees, including many of the potential top picks, will appear virtually throughout the broadcast. Here is a by-the-numbers look at this year’s NBA Draft: History 1 – NBA Draft 2020 will be the league’s first virtual draft and the first draft held at ESPN. 7 – Seven players have played in the NBA G League before being drafted by an NBA team, the most recent being Alen Smailagić, the 39th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. 10 – A college freshman has been selected with the first overall pick in each of the last 10 drafts. The last non-freshman to be the first overall draft pick was Oklahoma sophomore Blake Griffin in 2009. 14 – This marks the 14th consecutive year that Adam Silver will announce draft selections as either deputy commissioner (seven years) or commissioner (seven years including 2020). 107 – The distance between Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, the venue for the last seven NBA Drafts, and ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, the site of this year’s draft, is approximately 107 miles. 146 – The 2020 NBA Draft will take place 146 days after its originally scheduled date of June 25. 1975 – This is the first NBA Draft not held in June since 1975. 1989 – The current two-round format for the NBA Draft was adopted in 1989. Teams 1 – The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to make the first overall pick in the NBA Draft for the second time. In 2015, the Timberwolves used the first overall pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. 2 – The Warriors are poised to make the second overall pick in the NBA Draft for the first time in the common draft era (since 1966). 3 – The Boston Celtics hold three first-round picks (Nos. 14, 26 and 30) after making three first-round picks last year. 5 – The Philadelphia 76ers have a league-high five picks in this year’s draft (No. 21 in the first round and Nos. 34, 36, 49 and 58 in the second round). 11 – With the 11th selection of the first round, the San Antonio Spurs are preparing to make their highest draft pick since selecting Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in 1997. Class Superlatives 1 – Memphis center James Wiseman was ESPN’s No. 1-ranked high school player in the Class of 2019. 6 – Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton recorded the sixth triple-double in school history during the 2019-20 season. 8 – USC forward Onyeka Okongwu matched a single-game school record last season with eight blocked shots in his first collegiate game. 16 – Maccabi Tel Aviv guard-forward Deni Avdija made his professional debut with his current team at age 16 (he turns 20 in January). 19.1 – Georgia guard Anthony Edwards was the nation’s freshman scoring leader at 19.1 points per game in the 2019-20 season. 107 – Dayton forward Obi Toppin, the 2019-20 consensus National Player of the Year, led the nation and set a single-season school record with 107 dunks last season. 2005 – Last season, Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball became the first player to post triple-doubles in back-to-back games in Australia’s National Basketball League since 2005. Family Ties 5 – Duke guard Tre Jones and his brother Tyus of the Memphis Grizzlies combined to win five Gatorade Minnesota Boys Basketball Player of the Year awards in high school. 6 – Arizona guard Nico Mannion is the son of Pace Mannion, who played six NBA seasons. 8 – Duke center Vernon Carey Jr.’s father, Vernon Sr., played eight NFL seasons as an offensive lineman with the Miami Dolphins. 12 – North Carolina guard Cole Anthony’s father, Greg, now a basketball analyst for Turner Sports, was the 12th pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. 16 – Washington forward Jaden McDaniels is the brother of Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels, who appeared in 16 NBA games as a rookie in the 2019-20 season. 1,512 – Vanderbilt guard Saben Lee is the son of former Florida State All-America running back Amp Lee, who rushed for 1,512 yards in the NFL. 1982 – Maccabi Tel Aviv guard-forward Deni Avdija’s father, Zufer, won a bronze medal with Yugoslavia at the 1982 FIBA Basketball World Cup. 2000 – IMG Academy forward KJ Martin is the son of Kenyon Martin, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. 5.6M – Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball, the brother of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball, has more than 5.6 million followers on Instagram. Global Game 3 – This year’s draft class has the potential to break the record (three) for most players from one Basketball Without Borders camp in the same draft. Killian Hayes (France), Josh Green (Australia), Leandro Bolmaro (Argentina), Paul Eboua (Cameroon) and Vit Krejčí (Czech Republic) all participated in BWB Global 2018 as part of NBA All-Star 2018. 5 – This year’s draft class has the potential to break the record (five) for most players from Africa selected in one NBA Draft. 7 – Seven players in this year’s draft class have ties to Nigeria. Kansas center Udoka Azubuike and Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa are from Nigeria, and an additional five potential draftees have at least one parent from Nigeria: Isaac Okoro (Auburn), Onyeka Okongwu (USC), Zeke Nnaji (Arizona), Daniel Oturu (Minnesota) and Jordan Nwora (Louisville). 7/22 – Deni Avdija and Killian Hayes are seeking to become the highest-drafted players ever from Israel and France, respectively. If Hayes is drafted in the top seven, he will be the highest-drafted French player ever. If Avdija is drafted in the top 22, he will be the highest-drafted Israeli player ever. Avdija and Hayes competed against one another at Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global 2019 as part of NBA All-Star 2019. Avdija was named MVP of the camp while Hayes was named an All-Star. 13 – There have been 13 international players drafted No. 1 overall, most recently the Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) in 2018. 27 – A record 27 international players were drafted in 2016, including a record 15 in the first round and a record-tying 12 in the second round. 69 – Since 2001, 69 former Basketball Without Borders campers have been drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents. Partnership/Tech 17 – ESPN will deliver live look-ins from 17 team draft rooms. 18 – ESPN will present the NBA Draft for the 18th consecutive year. 19 – Nineteen broadcast satellite trucks will be used to help present the draft, including 15 trucks throughout the U.S. and four trucks internationally to connect with prospects located in France, Greece, Israel and Spain. 30 – In this unique year, 30 draft prospects received NBA Draft Gifting Lockers, which featured media kits (Microsoft Surface tablet, Beat Powerbeats Pro earbuds, iPhone with tripod, Ring light, Beats Pill wireless speaker) and a variety of products from NBA partners including Spalding, New Era, Beats By Dr. Dre and Oculus. 180 – More than 180 young people from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Learn Fresh, TAPS and Jr. NBA joined 30 Draft prospects for a NBA Cares “Road to Success” virtual community series presented State Farm® on Monday, discussing topics such as physical and mental wellness, leadership, activism, mentorship and more.

NBA 2020 Draft: History, Stats and all the numbers you need to know

The much-awaited NBA Draft is set to take on November 18 at the ESPN Headquarters in Connecticut as one the most exciting features of the off-season returns. The NBA Draft is filled with hopes and anticipation of which team will go on to pick the next future star of the NBA.

<h2>How does NBA Draft works?</h2>

The NBA Draft has two rounds with 30 picks allotted to each round. The draft lottery, which took place on August 20, 2020 allows the 14 teams that failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs – aligned from worst to best – to get the #1 draft pick, hence giving the worst three teams the highest chance to get that #1 pick.

<h2>2020 NBA DRAFT ORDER</h2>

<ul>
	<li>1. Minnesota</li>
	<li>2. Golden State</li>
	<li>3. Charlotte</li>
	<li>4. Chicago</li>
	<li>5. Cleveland</li>
	<li>6. Atlanta</li>
	<li>7. Detroit</li>
	<li>8. New York</li>
	<li>9. Washington</li>
	<li>10. Phoenix</li>
	<li>11. San Antonio</li>
	<li>12. Sacramento</li>
	<li>13. New Orleans</li>
	<li>14. Boston (from Memphis)</li>
	<li>15. Orlando</li>
	<li>16. Portland</li>
	<li>17. Minnesota (from Brooklyn via Atlanta)</li>
	<li>18. Dallas</li>
	<li>19. Brooklyn (from Philadelphia via LA Clippers)</li>
	<li>20. Miami</li>
	<li>21. Philadelphia (from OKC via Orlando and Philadelphia)</li>
	<li>22. Denver (from Houston)</li>
	<li>23. Utah</li>
	<li>24. Milwaukee (from Indiana)</li>
	<li>25. Oklahoma City (from Denver)</li>
	<li>26. Boston</li>
	<li>27. New York (from LA Clippers)</li>
	<li>28. Los Angeles Lakers</li>
	<li>29. Toronto</li>
	<li>30. Boston (from Milwaukee via Phoenix)</li>
	<li>31. Dallas (from Golden State)</li>
	<li>32. Charlotte (from Cleveland via LA Clippers and Orlando)</li>
	<li>33. Minnesota</li>
	<li>34. Philadelphia (from Atlanta)</li>
	<li>35. Sacramento (from Detroit via Phoenix)</li>
	<li>36. Philadelphia (from New York)</li>
	<li>37. Washington (from Chicago)</li>
	<li>38. New York (from Charlotte)</li>
	<li>39. New Orleans (from Washington via Milwaukee)</li>
	<li>40. Memphis (from Phoenix)</li>
	<li>41. San Antonio</li>
	<li>42. New Orleans</li>
	<li>43. Sacramento</li>
	<li>44. Chicago (from Memphis)</li>
	<li>45. Orlando</li>
	<li>46. Portland</li>
	<li>47. Boston (from Brooklyn via Charlotte, Orlando and Philadelphia)</li>
	<li>48. Golden State (from Dallas via Philadelphia)</li>
	<li>49. Philadelphia</li>
	<li>50. Atlanta (from Miami via Sacramento, Cleveland and Boston)</li>
	<li>51. Golden State (from Utah via Dallas, Detroit and Cleveland)</li>
	<li>52. Sacramento (from Houston)</li>
	<li>53. Oklahoma City</li>
	<li>54. Indiana</li>
	<li>55. Brooklyn (from Denver)</li>
	<li>56. Charlotte (from Boston)</li>
	<li>57. LA Clippers</li>
	<li>58. Philadelphia (from Los Angeles Lakers via Orlando)</li>
	<li>59. Toronto</li>
	<li>60. New Orleans (from Milwaukee)</li>
</ul>

<h2>NBA Draft 2020: LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1</h2>

The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to make the first pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in franchise history. In 2015, the Timberwolves used the top pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.

In August 2014, the Timberwolves acquired the top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft (Andrew Wiggins) and the top pick in the 2013 NBA Draft (Anthony Bennett) from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that also included the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the common era of the NBA Draft (since 1966), Duke and Kentucky have had the most first overall picks with three each. The Blue Devils’ No. 1 selections are Elton Brand (1999), Kyrie Irving (2011) and Zion Williamson (2019). The Wildcats’ No. 1 selections are John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2015).

Since the NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985, four of 35 No. 1 overall picks have won an NBA championship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011). James’ NBA championship with the Cavaliers came in his second stint with the team.

<h2>NBA Draft 2020: PICKING AND CHOOSING</h2>

<ul>
	<li>The Golden State Warriors are picking second for the first time in the common draft era. The Warriors have made the first pick twice since 1966: Joe Barry Carroll (1980) and Joe Smith (1995). Golden State has picked third four times in the common draft era: Clyde Lee (1966), Chris Washburn (1986), Penny Hardaway (1993) and Mike Dunleavy Jr. (2002).</li>
	<li>The Charlotte Hornets are picking third for the third time in franchise history. The Hornets previously selected Baron Davis (1999) and Adam Morrison (2006) with the third pick.</li>
	<li>The Chicago Bulls (fourth pick) will make their highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008. The Bulls have had the fourth pick four other times: Tom Boerwinkle (1968), Kelvin Ransey (1980) Marcus Fizer (2000) and Eddy Curry (2001).</li>
	<li>The Boston Celtics are set to make three picks in the first round (Nos. 14, 26 and 30) for the second year in a row and one pick in the second round (No. 47). If the Celtics make all four picks, that would give them a league-high 25 draft selections since 2015.</li>
	<li>The San Antonio Spurs (11th pick) will make their first selection in the NBA Draft Lottery since 1997, when they selected 15-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan with the first pick. The Spurs’ highest selection since Duncan was Lonnie Walker III with the 18th pick in 2018.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Top prospects in this NBA Draft</h2>

<h3>LaMelo Ball</h3>

<ul>
	<li>The younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and former UCLA forward LiAngelo Ball, the youngest Ball brother was named the 2019-20 NBL Rookie of the Year after forgoing college to play professionally.</li>
	<li>He played with his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo as a freshman at Chino Hills, helping the team to a 35-0 record and a state championship, and scoring a career-high 92 Points (41 PTS in the fourth quarter) vs. Los Osos High School on 02/07/2017.</li>
	<li>As the son of BBB founder LaVar Ball, LaMelo was featured in the reality TV show "Ball In The Family,” which aired on Facebook Watch.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Anthony Edwards</h3>

<ul>
	<li>When Edwards was in eighth grade, his mother, Yvette, and his grandmother, Shirley, both passed away from cancer within eight months of each other. He wears No. 5 in honor of them both, because they both died on the fifth of the month.</li>
	<li>If Edwards gets drafted in the top 5, he will join Dominique Wilkins (No. 3 in 1982 NBA Draft) as the only players from the University of Georgia to be taken in the top 5 in the NBA Draft.</li>
	<li>A very good football player – Edwards played tailback, cornerback, and quarterback growing up and was also nicknamed ‘Ant Man.’</li>
</ul>

<h3>Deni Avdija</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Avdija played on the same team as former NBA players Omri Casspi and Amar’e Stoudemire and considers them mentors and was the youngest person to ever play for Maccabi.</li>
	<li>He won MVP honors at the Basketball Without Borders European Camp in 2018 and at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Charlotte in 2019 and also won back-to-back gold medals at the U20 European Championships.</li>
</ul>

<h3>James Wiseman</h3>

<ul>
	<li>After studying Mandarin in high school, Wiseman is now fluent in the language. In the future, he wants to be a philanthropist in his hometown of Memphis and own fast food restaurants. An entrepreneur at heart, Wiseman reads business books in his spare time but also is a man of his generation as an active TikToker.</li>
	<li>Wiseman (Memphis) is among the top prospects in the NBA Draft as a mobile 7-footer and outstanding rebounder with the potential to make an impact at both ends of the court.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Obi Toppin</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Dayton forward Obi Toppin’s remarkable rise has made him one of the most coveted players in the NBA Draft. Born in born in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Toppin played one season of varsity basketball in high school and did not have any Division I scholarship offers as a senior. A late growth spurt and a developmental year at a prep school raised his profile and led him to Dayton, where he blossomed into the consensus 2019-20 National Player of the Year as a sophomore. An electrifying athlete who has drawn comparisons to former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, Toppin recorded more than 100 dunks last season.</li>
	<li>Obi has never owned a pair of jeans and/or suit until recently because he was always more comfortable wearing sweatpants. He is now embracing dressing up and has a three-piece suit he plans to debut on Draft night. He recently became a dog owner to Peaches during the pandemic and regularly schedules doggy playdates with fellow prospect Myles Powell’s dog. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

The much-awaited NBA Draft is set to take on November 18 at the ESPN Headquarters in Connecticut as one the most exciting features of the off-season returns. The NBA Draft is filled with hopes and anticipation of which team will go on to pick the next future star of the NBA.

The much-awaited NBA Draft is set to take on November 18 at the ESPN Headquarters in Connecticut as one the most exciting features of the off-season returns. The NBA Draft is filled with hopes and anticipation of which team will go on to pick the next future star of the NBA. How does NBA Draft works? The NBA Draft has two rounds with 30 picks allotted to each round. The draft lottery, which took place on August 20, 2020 allows the 14 teams that failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs – aligned from worst to best – to get the #1 draft pick, hence giving the worst three teams the highest chance to get that #1 pick. 2020 NBA DRAFT ORDER 1. Minnesota 2. Golden State 3. Charlotte 4. Chicago 5. Cleveland 6. Atlanta 7. Detroit 8. New York 9. Washington 10. Phoenix 11. San Antonio 12. Sacramento 13. New Orleans 14. Boston (from Memphis) 15. Orlando 16. Portland 17. Minnesota (from Brooklyn via Atlanta) 18. Dallas 19. Brooklyn (from Philadelphia via LA Clippers) 20. Miami 21. Philadelphia (from OKC via Orlando and Philadelphia) 22. Denver (from Houston) 23. Utah 24. Milwaukee (from Indiana) 25. Oklahoma City (from Denver) 26. Boston 27. New York (from LA Clippers) 28. Los Angeles Lakers 29. Toronto 30. Boston (from Milwaukee via Phoenix) 31. Dallas (from Golden State) 32. Charlotte (from Cleveland via LA Clippers and Orlando) 33. Minnesota 34. Philadelphia (from Atlanta) 35. Sacramento (from Detroit via Phoenix) 36. Philadelphia (from New York) 37. Washington (from Chicago) 38. New York (from Charlotte) 39. New Orleans (from Washington via Milwaukee) 40. Memphis (from Phoenix) 41. San Antonio 42. New Orleans 43. Sacramento 44. Chicago (from Memphis) 45. Orlando 46. Portland 47. Boston (from Brooklyn via Charlotte, Orlando and Philadelphia) 48. Golden State (from Dallas via Philadelphia) 49. Philadelphia 50. Atlanta (from Miami via Sacramento, Cleveland and Boston) 51. Golden State (from Utah via Dallas, Detroit and Cleveland) 52. Sacramento (from Houston) 53. Oklahoma City 54. Indiana 55. Brooklyn (from Denver) 56. Charlotte (from Boston) 57. LA Clippers 58. Philadelphia (from Los Angeles Lakers via Orlando) 59. Toronto 60. New Orleans (from Milwaukee) NBA Draft 2020: LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1 The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to make the first pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in franchise history. In 2015, the Timberwolves used the top pick to select two-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. In August 2014, the Timberwolves acquired the top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft (Andrew Wiggins) and the top pick in the 2013 NBA Draft (Anthony Bennett) from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade that also included the Philadelphia 76ers. In the common era of the NBA Draft (since 1966), Duke and Kentucky have had the most first overall picks with three each. The Blue Devils’ No. 1 selections are Elton Brand (1999), Kyrie Irving (2011) and Zion Williamson (2019). The Wildcats’ No. 1 selections are John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2015). Since the NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985, four of 35 No. 1 overall picks have won an NBA championship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011). James’ NBA championship with the Cavaliers came in his second stint with the team. NBA Draft 2020: PICKING AND CHOOSING The Golden State Warriors are picking second for the first time in the common draft era. The Warriors have made the first pick twice since 1966: Joe Barry Carroll (1980) and Joe Smith (1995). Golden State has picked third four times in the common draft era: Clyde Lee (1966), Chris Washburn (1986), Penny Hardaway (1993) and Mike Dunleavy Jr. (2002). The Charlotte Hornets are picking third for the third time in franchise history. The Hornets previously selected Baron Davis (1999) and Adam Morrison (2006) with the third pick. The Chicago Bulls (fourth pick) will make their highest pick since selecting Derrick Rose with the first pick in 2008. The Bulls have had the fourth pick four other times: Tom Boerwinkle (1968), Kelvin Ransey (1980) Marcus Fizer (2000) and Eddy Curry (2001). The Boston Celtics are set to make three picks in the first round (Nos. 14, 26 and 30) for the second year in a row and one pick in the second round (No. 47). If the Celtics make all four picks, that would give them a league-high 25 draft selections since 2015. The San Antonio Spurs (11th pick) will make their first selection in the NBA Draft Lottery since 1997, when they selected 15-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan with the first pick. The Spurs’ highest selection since Duncan was Lonnie Walker III with the 18th pick in 2018. Top prospects in this NBA Draft LaMelo Ball The younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and former UCLA forward LiAngelo Ball, the youngest Ball brother was named the 2019-20 NBL Rookie of the Year after forgoing college to play professionally. He played with his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo as a freshman at Chino Hills, helping the team to a 35-0 record and a state championship, and scoring a career-high 92 Points (41 PTS in the fourth quarter) vs. Los Osos High School on 02/07/2017. As the son of BBB founder LaVar Ball, LaMelo was featured in the reality TV show "Ball In The Family,” which aired on Facebook Watch. Anthony Edwards When Edwards was in eighth grade, his mother, Yvette, and his grandmother, Shirley, both passed away from cancer within eight months of each other. He wears No. 5 in honor of them both, because they both died on the fifth of the month. If Edwards gets drafted in the top 5, he will join Dominique Wilkins (No. 3 in 1982 NBA Draft) as the only players from the University of Georgia to be taken in the top 5 in the NBA Draft. A very good football player – Edwards played tailback, cornerback, and quarterback growing up and was also nicknamed ‘Ant Man.’ Deni Avdija Avdija played on the same team as former NBA players Omri Casspi and Amar’e Stoudemire and considers them mentors and was the youngest person to ever play for Maccabi. He won MVP honors at the Basketball Without Borders European Camp in 2018 and at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Charlotte in 2019 and also won back-to-back gold medals at the U20 European Championships. James Wiseman After studying Mandarin in high school, Wiseman is now fluent in the language. In the future, he wants to be a philanthropist in his hometown of Memphis and own fast food restaurants. An entrepreneur at heart, Wiseman reads business books in his spare time but also is a man of his generation as an active TikToker. Wiseman (Memphis) is among the top prospects in the NBA Draft as a mobile 7-footer and outstanding rebounder with the potential to make an impact at both ends of the court. Obi Toppin Dayton forward Obi Toppin’s remarkable rise has made him one of the most coveted players in the NBA Draft. Born in born in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Toppin played one season of varsity basketball in high school and did not have any Division I scholarship offers as a senior. A late growth spurt and a developmental year at a prep school raised his profile and led him to Dayton, where he blossomed into the consensus 2019-20 National Player of the Year as a sophomore. An electrifying athlete who has drawn comparisons to former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, Toppin recorded more than 100 dunks last season. Obi has never owned a pair of jeans and/or suit until recently because he was always more comfortable wearing sweatpants. He is now embracing dressing up and has a three-piece suit he plans to debut on Draft night. He recently became a dog owner to Peaches during the pandemic and regularly schedules doggy playdates with fellow prospect Myles Powell’s dog.

NBA Draft 2020, Explainer: Rules, top prospects, order and everything you need to know

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat.

Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes.

The win leaves the Lakers 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series, meaning they can clinch the championship with victory in game five in Orlando on Friday.

"It felt like both teams were desperate, understanding the situation they had put themselves in," James said afterwards.

"Trying to get every extra possession, execute offensively, not to make mistakes defensively, that's what it was all about."

James started slowly but clicked in the second half to lead the scoring while providing eight assists and hauling down 12 rebounds.

Anthony Davis meanwhile finished with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with a vital 15 point contribution.

Caldwell-Pope's tally included a three-pointer and a layup in the closing stages that put the Lakers seven points ahead with two minutes remaining.

Davis then drained only his second three-pointer of the night with 39.5 seconds left on the clock to give the Lakers a 100-91 lead and effectively seal the contest.

Butler, the 40-point hero of Miami's win on Sunday, was restricted to 22 points, frustrated throughout by a commanding defensive display from Davis.

"He challenges me every night, I challenge him every night," James said of Davis.&nbsp;

"We have to do things to help our team win, defensively, and offensively, and he did that tonight -- he was spectacular."

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Moments of truth' -</h2>

&nbsp;

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the game had been decided in key moments in the closing stages.

"There was some moments of truth there at the end, and probably the bottom line is they won those moments of truth," Spoelstra said.

"It came down to making plays. They just made more plays and more shots to seal it."

An attritional contest saw defenses on top throughout, with Miami containing the threat of James and Davis for long periods.

James in particular struggled to generate his usual rhythm throughout the first half, giving up five turnovers and scoring just eight points.

The Lakers looked to have built a head of steam towards the end of the first quarter, edging into a 27-22 lead after a Kyle Kuzma three-pointer and a driving layup from Alex Caruso.

But Miami responded swiftly at the start of the second quarter, transforming a five-point deficit into a 33-29 lead after Jae Crowder's three-pointer.

Butler, meanwhile had started smoothly, going five-from-five in the first quarter to move into double figures.

Despite Miami's defensive efforts, the Lakers were still able to carve open a series of good looks, only for off-target shooting to let them down.

Nevertheless the Lakers had inched into a two-point lead at half-time at 49-47.

In the third quarter, James' shooting from distance improved, his first three-pointer of the night coming with a 29-foot effort to put the Lakers ahead at 55-54.

A Danny Green bucket was followed by a driving layup from James and the Lakers had suddenly moved into a 59-54 lead.

James made another long-range three shortly afterward to put the Lakers 62-57 up with 6:44 left in the third.

Davis's first three-pointer of the game from 28 feet put the Lakers seven points clear with two minutes left in the third.

The Los Angeles big man closed the quarter with four free throws to leave the Lakers five points clear heading into the fourth.

The Lakers maintained that advantage for much of the fourth quarter.

Tyler Herro's three-point jump shot cut the Lakers lead to one point at 76-75, but three free throws from Markieff Morris followed by a superb fadeaway from James stretched the Los Angeles cushion to six points midway through the fourth.

Butler raised Miami's hopes after tying it at 83-83, but the Lakers pulled away with Caldwell-Pope's three-pointer transition followed by a layup to make it 95-88 with two minutes left on the clock.

Rajon Rondo's layup was then followed by a Davis crucial three-pointer with 39.5 seconds left which sealed the win.&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes.

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes. The win leaves the Lakers 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series, meaning they can clinch the championship with victory in game five in Orlando on Friday. "It felt like both teams were desperate, understanding the situation they had put themselves in," James said afterwards. "Trying to get every extra possession, execute offensively, not to make mistakes defensively, that's what it was all about." James started slowly but clicked in the second half to lead the scoring while providing eight assists and hauling down 12 rebounds. Anthony Davis meanwhile finished with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with a vital 15 point contribution. Caldwell-Pope's tally included a three-pointer and a layup in the closing stages that put the Lakers seven points ahead with two minutes remaining. Davis then drained only his second three-pointer of the night with 39.5 seconds left on the clock to give the Lakers a 100-91 lead and effectively seal the contest. Butler, the 40-point hero of Miami's win on Sunday, was restricted to 22 points, frustrated throughout by a commanding defensive display from Davis. "He challenges me every night, I challenge him every night," James said of Davis. "We have to do things to help our team win, defensively, and offensively, and he did that tonight -- he was spectacular." - 'Moments of truth' - Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the game had been decided in key moments in the closing stages. "There was some moments of truth there at the end, and probably the bottom line is they won those moments of truth," Spoelstra said. "It came down to making plays. They just made more plays and more shots to seal it." An attritional contest saw defenses on top throughout, with Miami containing the threat of James and Davis for long periods. James in particular struggled to generate his usual rhythm throughout the first half, giving up five turnovers and scoring just eight points. The Lakers looked to have built a head of steam towards the end of the first quarter, edging into a 27-22 lead after a Kyle Kuzma three-pointer and a driving layup from Alex Caruso. But Miami responded swiftly at the start of the second quarter, transforming a five-point deficit into a 33-29 lead after Jae Crowder's three-pointer. Butler, meanwhile had started smoothly, going five-from-five in the first quarter to move into double figures. Despite Miami's defensive efforts, the Lakers were still able to carve open a series of good looks, only for off-target shooting to let them down. Nevertheless the Lakers had inched into a two-point lead at half-time at 49-47. In the third quarter, James' shooting from distance improved, his first three-pointer of the night coming with a 29-foot effort to put the Lakers ahead at 55-54. A Danny Green bucket was followed by a driving layup from James and the Lakers had suddenly moved into a 59-54 lead. James made another long-range three shortly afterward to put the Lakers 62-57 up with 6:44 left in the third. Davis's first three-pointer of the game from 28 feet put the Lakers seven points clear with two minutes left in the third. The Los Angeles big man closed the quarter with four free throws to leave the Lakers five points clear heading into the fourth. The Lakers maintained that advantage for much of the fourth quarter. Tyler Herro's three-point jump shot cut the Lakers lead to one point at 76-75, but three free throws from Markieff Morris followed by a superb fadeaway from James stretched the Los Angeles cushion to six points midway through the fourth. Butler raised Miami's hopes after tying it at 83-83, but the Lakers pulled away with Caldwell-Pope's three-pointer transition followed by a layup to make it 95-88 with two minutes left on the clock. Rajon Rondo's layup was then followed by a Davis crucial three-pointer with 39.5 seconds left which sealed the win.

James, Davis put Lakers on brink as Miami downed

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010.

The injury depleted Heat hung on as best they could, but 33 points from James and 32 from Davis were just too much.

Davis, playing in his first NBA Finals, overpowered a Heat defense sorely missing injured Bam Adebayo. He added 14 rebounds as the Lakers took a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

"He's a big-time player," James, playing in his 10th championship series, said of Davis, whose 14 rebounds included eight offensive boards. "He understands the position we're in."

Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots from the field, finishing with 15 baskets in 20 attempts.

For the second straight game James approached a triple-double, adding nine assists and nine rebounds.

Rajon Rondo added 16 points off the bench and Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 points apiece for the Lakers.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points and Kelly Olynyk added 24 off the bench as the Heat had to make do not only without Adebayo but with star guard Goran Dragic, who was sidelined by a left foot injury.

Even without them, James said, Miami remained a dangerous team, adding that the Lakers need to clamp down harder defensively.

"Myself, coach and AD were not happy with our defensive presence tonight," James said. "We can do a lot better.

"Myself and AD, we're not satisfied with just the win. We want to be great.

"They have five guys on the floor that's a threat, as they showed tonight," James added of Miami. "So we have to continue to stay on our P's and Q's and cross our T's and dot our I's through the course of a game."

Stung by the Heat's quick start in game one, the Lakers came out of the blocks hot.

Chasing a record-equalling 17th NBA title but their first in a decade, the Lakers dominated inside, outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint in the first quarter to emerge from the opening period six points up.

Danny Green's three-pointer pushed the Lakers lead to 13 three minutes into the second quarter.

The Heat got the deficit down to four three times, but Rondo, a former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, came up big off the Lakers' bench, delivering impressive alley-oup passes first to James and then to Davis, whose dunk and free throw made it 64-49 with 1:48 remaining in the first half.

Rondo himself drove for a layup in the final minute of the half that stretched the Lakers' lead to 17 points, and they took a 68-54 advantage into the break.

The Lakers connected on 55.5% of their shots from the field in the opening half. They were less successful from three-point range but not from lack of trying, connecting on nine of their whopping 27 first-half attempts from beyond the arc.

They finished with 16 three-pointers on an astonishing 47 attempts.

Davis poured it on in the third quarter, piling up 15 points on an array of shots -- jumpers, a step-back three and a driving floater just the beginning.

<h2>- Moments of truth -</h2>

Although the Lakers stretched the lead to 18 points multiple times, the Heat wouldn't go away.

They out-scored Los Angeles 39-35 in the period -- but in the end they just didn't have sufficient stopping power and they couldn't get the deficit below nine points in the final quarter.

"We need a little bit more from everybody, whatever that is," Olynyk said.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that the Heat face a tough challenge against the bigger, physical Lakers.

"In those moments of truth when we had opportunities to get the game closer it usually seemed to end up in an offensive rebound or something near the basket," Spoelstra said.

"But this is the deal. If you want something badly enough you'll figure out how to overcome it.

"They have great size and Anthony Davis is an elite player. We're trying to get something accomplished and you just have to go to another level," added Spoelstra, whose team will try to do just that in game three on Sunday.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010. The injury depleted Heat hung on as best they could, but 33 points from James and 32 from Davis were just too much. Davis, playing in his first NBA Finals, overpowered a Heat defense sorely missing injured Bam Adebayo. He added 14 rebounds as the Lakers took a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida. "He's a big-time player," James, playing in his 10th championship series, said of Davis, whose 14 rebounds included eight offensive boards. "He understands the position we're in." Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots from the field, finishing with 15 baskets in 20 attempts. For the second straight game James approached a triple-double, adding nine assists and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo added 16 points off the bench and Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 points apiece for the Lakers. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points and Kelly Olynyk added 24 off the bench as the Heat had to make do not only without Adebayo but with star guard Goran Dragic, who was sidelined by a left foot injury. Even without them, James said, Miami remained a dangerous team, adding that the Lakers need to clamp down harder defensively. "Myself, coach and AD were not happy with our defensive presence tonight," James said. "We can do a lot better. "Myself and AD, we're not satisfied with just the win. We want to be great. "They have five guys on the floor that's a threat, as they showed tonight," James added of Miami. "So we have to continue to stay on our P's and Q's and cross our T's and dot our I's through the course of a game." Stung by the Heat's quick start in game one, the Lakers came out of the blocks hot. Chasing a record-equalling 17th NBA title but their first in a decade, the Lakers dominated inside, outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint in the first quarter to emerge from the opening period six points up. Danny Green's three-pointer pushed the Lakers lead to 13 three minutes into the second quarter. The Heat got the deficit down to four three times, but Rondo, a former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, came up big off the Lakers' bench, delivering impressive alley-oup passes first to James and then to Davis, whose dunk and free throw made it 64-49 with 1:48 remaining in the first half. Rondo himself drove for a layup in the final minute of the half that stretched the Lakers' lead to 17 points, and they took a 68-54 advantage into the break. The Lakers connected on 55.5% of their shots from the field in the opening half. They were less successful from three-point range but not from lack of trying, connecting on nine of their whopping 27 first-half attempts from beyond the arc. They finished with 16 three-pointers on an astonishing 47 attempts. Davis poured it on in the third quarter, piling up 15 points on an array of shots -- jumpers, a step-back three and a driving floater just the beginning. - Moments of truth - Although the Lakers stretched the lead to 18 points multiple times, the Heat wouldn't go away. They out-scored Los Angeles 39-35 in the period -- but in the end they just didn't have sufficient stopping power and they couldn't get the deficit below nine points in the final quarter. "We need a little bit more from everybody, whatever that is," Olynyk said. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that the Heat face a tough challenge against the bigger, physical Lakers. "In those moments of truth when we had opportunities to get the game closer it usually seemed to end up in an offensive rebound or something near the basket," Spoelstra said. "But this is the deal. If you want something badly enough you'll figure out how to overcome it. "They have great size and Anthony Davis is an elite player. We're trying to get something accomplished and you just have to go to another level," added Spoelstra, whose team will try to do just that in game three on Sunday.

James, Davis, propel Lakers to second straight win over Heat

LeBron James, seeking a fourth NBA title in his 10th Finals appearance, has no trouble keeping his Los Angeles Lakers' dominant victory in game one of the 2020 title series in perspective.

The Lakers shook off a slow start to lead the Miami Heat by as many as 32 points on the way to a 116-98 victory in Orlando, Florida, but James insisted it was no time to celebrate.

"The best teacher in life is experience," James said. "I've experienced moments in my career where you have all the momentum in the world and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game."

James is still rankled by the memory of game two of the 2011 NBA Finals, when he played alongside Dwyane Wade for the Heat against the Dallas Mavericks.

"D-Wade hits a three right by their bench," James recalled. "I believe it put us up either 13 or 17.

"From that moment on, Dallas went on a hell of a run and finished it off with a Dirk Nowitzki left-hand layup to steal that game.

"That burns me to this day," James said, adding that's why he was already looking forward to seeing where the Lakers can improve before game two against the Heat on Friday.

"I'm extremely amped up about watching the film with our ballclub tomorrow," he said. "I'm going to watch some tonight obviously by myself, but I'm looking forward to getting together as a group tomorrow."

While the championship series stage is nothing new to James -- or the 16-time champion Lakers franchise -- it's a first for star teammate Anthony Davis.

Davis scored 34 points in an impressive Finals debut, but he, too, said the Lakers should have started and finished the game better.

The underdog heat jumped to a 13-point lead midway through the first quarter. And even after injuries to Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo they were able to narrow the final margin with a solid fourth-quarter performance.

"We have to be able to come out a little bit more aggressive and come out with a little more sense of urgency, and that's on the starters, especially me and Bron," Davis said. "But it feels good to get the first game.

"We're not satisfied. We don't like how we ended the game. That wasn't a championship mentality, and you know, we have to be better in that regard.

"We'll take the win, but we'll watch film and try to take advantage, as well."

LeBron James, seeking a fourth NBA title in his 10th Finals appearance, has no trouble keeping his Los Angeles Lakers' dominant victory in game one of the 2020 title series in perspective.

LeBron James, seeking a fourth NBA title in his 10th Finals appearance, has no trouble keeping his Los Angeles Lakers' dominant victory in game one of the 2020 title series in perspective. The Lakers shook off a slow start to lead the Miami Heat by as many as 32 points on the way to a 116-98 victory in Orlando, Florida, but James insisted it was no time to celebrate. "The best teacher in life is experience," James said. "I've experienced moments in my career where you have all the momentum in the world and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game." James is still rankled by the memory of game two of the 2011 NBA Finals, when he played alongside Dwyane Wade for the Heat against the Dallas Mavericks. "D-Wade hits a three right by their bench," James recalled. "I believe it put us up either 13 or 17. "From that moment on, Dallas went on a hell of a run and finished it off with a Dirk Nowitzki left-hand layup to steal that game. "That burns me to this day," James said, adding that's why he was already looking forward to seeing where the Lakers can improve before game two against the Heat on Friday. "I'm extremely amped up about watching the film with our ballclub tomorrow," he said. "I'm going to watch some tonight obviously by myself, but I'm looking forward to getting together as a group tomorrow." While the championship series stage is nothing new to James -- or the 16-time champion Lakers franchise -- it's a first for star teammate Anthony Davis. Davis scored 34 points in an impressive Finals debut, but he, too, said the Lakers should have started and finished the game better. The underdog heat jumped to a 13-point lead midway through the first quarter. And even after injuries to Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo they were able to narrow the final margin with a solid fourth-quarter performance. "We have to be able to come out a little bit more aggressive and come out with a little more sense of urgency, and that's on the starters, especially me and Bron," Davis said. "But it feels good to get the first game. "We're not satisfied. We don't like how we ended the game. That wasn't a championship mentality, and you know, we have to be better in that regard. "We'll take the win, but we'll watch film and try to take advantage, as well."

James keeps eye on ultimate prize as Lakers win NBA Finals opener

NBA playoff games were cancelled for a second straight day on Thursday, but players pledged to return to the court as they sought support from team owners in tackling racial injustice.

A Milwaukee Bucks boycott inside the NBA's Orlando "bubble" on Wednesday sparked a wave of protest that ultimately saw dozens of games called off across an array of sports -- basketball, football, baseball, ice hockey and tennis.

Black players, their teammates and supporters demanded action in the face of yet another police shooting of an African American after Jacob Blake was shot several times in the back in the Midwestern city of Kenosha on Sunday.

The Bucks boycott, which was joined by their scheduled opponents the Orlando Magic, prompted the NBA to postpone all three playoff games scheduled for Wednesday and three more slated for Thursday as players from all teams debated whether to continue the season already disrupted by coronavirus.

Players agreed on Thursday to continue the playoffs, with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers -- who had been in favor Wednesday night of abandoning the season -- reportedly "on board" with the decision.

"NBA playoff games for (Thursday) will not be played as scheduled," league executive vice-president Mike Bass said in a statement after an NBA Board of Governors meeting Thursday.&nbsp;

"We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday."

ESPN and other US media reported late Thursday that games would most likely resume on Saturday.

Players from all 13 teams in Orlando, along with representatives from the National Basketball Players Association, the league office and NBA Labor Relations Committee Chairman and basketball legend Michael Jordan met Thursday to discuss player concerns.

Details of the meeting were not immediately available, but ESPN reported that players pushed for owners to join them in a "direct action plan" to promote voter turnout, police accountability and police reform legislation.

Meanwhile, the NBA's stoppage continued to ripple through the sports world.

The National Hockey League, which didn't postpone games on Wednesday, called off games in its quarantine bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton on Thursday and Friday.

"We understand that the tragedies involving Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others require us to recognize this moment," the league and its players association said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society."

Seven Major League Baseball games were called off on Thursday and nine NFL teams cancelled practice with the start of their season just two weeks away.

The courts were quiet at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, although two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka agreed to go ahead with her Western &amp; Southern Open semi-final on Friday after initially saying she was pulling out of the event.

"I was (and am) ready and prepared to concede the match to my opponent," Osaka said. "However, after my announcement and lengthy consultation with the WTA and USTA, I have agreed at their request to play on Friday."

"They offered to postpone all matches until Friday and in my mind that brings more attention to the movement."

The WNBA women's basketball league postponed its slate of games on Thursday for a second day running, but players said they intended to return to the court on Friday.

Since resuming their season in a quarantine bubble in Florida, WNBA players have demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed in her own apartment by police in Louisville, Kentucky, who burst into her home executing a "no knock" search warrant.

Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA players' union, said Thursday's pause in games was a "moment of reflection" for players and a chance for them to "recommit" to their fight for racial and social justice.

<h2>- 'Change happens with action' -</h2>

Demands for racial equality have reverberated across basketball following the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May.

The NBA's coronavirus-halted season resumed last month against the backdrop of ongoing nationwide protests following Floyd's death.

While the league has embraced the Black Lives Matter movement, the shooting of Blake -- which Blake's lawyer says left him paralyzed -- galvanized players to further action.

Lakers superstar James, already backing a get-out-the vote initiative, said action was imperative.

"Change doesn't happen with just talk!! It happens with action and needs to happen NOW!" James wrote on Twitter.

There was a predictably cool response to the NBA activism from President Donald Trump.

"They've become like a political organization, and that's not a good thing," Trump said.

NBA playoff games were cancelled for a second straight day on Thursday, but players pledged to return to the court as they sought support from team owners in tackling racial injustice.

NBA playoff games were cancelled for a second straight day on Thursday, but players pledged to return to the court as they sought support from team owners in tackling racial injustice. A Milwaukee Bucks boycott inside the NBA's Orlando "bubble" on Wednesday sparked a wave of protest that ultimately saw dozens of games called off across an array of sports -- basketball, football, baseball, ice hockey and tennis. Black players, their teammates and supporters demanded action in the face of yet another police shooting of an African American after Jacob Blake was shot several times in the back in the Midwestern city of Kenosha on Sunday. The Bucks boycott, which was joined by their scheduled opponents the Orlando Magic, prompted the NBA to postpone all three playoff games scheduled for Wednesday and three more slated for Thursday as players from all teams debated whether to continue the season already disrupted by coronavirus. Players agreed on Thursday to continue the playoffs, with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers -- who had been in favor Wednesday night of abandoning the season -- reportedly "on board" with the decision. "NBA playoff games for (Thursday) will not be played as scheduled," league executive vice-president Mike Bass said in a statement after an NBA Board of Governors meeting Thursday. "We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday." ESPN and other US media reported late Thursday that games would most likely resume on Saturday. Players from all 13 teams in Orlando, along with representatives from the National Basketball Players Association, the league office and NBA Labor Relations Committee Chairman and basketball legend Michael Jordan met Thursday to discuss player concerns. Details of the meeting were not immediately available, but ESPN reported that players pushed for owners to join them in a "direct action plan" to promote voter turnout, police accountability and police reform legislation. Meanwhile, the NBA's stoppage continued to ripple through the sports world. The National Hockey League, which didn't postpone games on Wednesday, called off games in its quarantine bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton on Thursday and Friday. "We understand that the tragedies involving Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others require us to recognize this moment," the league and its players association said in a statement. "We pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society." Seven Major League Baseball games were called off on Thursday and nine NFL teams cancelled practice with the start of their season just two weeks away. The courts were quiet at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, although two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka agreed to go ahead with her Western & Southern Open semi-final on Friday after initially saying she was pulling out of the event. "I was (and am) ready and prepared to concede the match to my opponent," Osaka said. "However, after my announcement and lengthy consultation with the WTA and USTA, I have agreed at their request to play on Friday." "They offered to postpone all matches until Friday and in my mind that brings more attention to the movement." The WNBA women's basketball league postponed its slate of games on Thursday for a second day running, but players said they intended to return to the court on Friday. Since resuming their season in a quarantine bubble in Florida, WNBA players have demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed in her own apartment by police in Louisville, Kentucky, who burst into her home executing a "no knock" search warrant. Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA players' union, said Thursday's pause in games was a "moment of reflection" for players and a chance for them to "recommit" to their fight for racial and social justice. - 'Change happens with action' - Demands for racial equality have reverberated across basketball following the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May. The NBA's coronavirus-halted season resumed last month against the backdrop of ongoing nationwide protests following Floyd's death. While the league has embraced the Black Lives Matter movement, the shooting of Blake -- which Blake's lawyer says left him paralyzed -- galvanized players to further action. Lakers superstar James, already backing a get-out-the vote initiative, said action was imperative. "Change doesn't happen with just talk!! It happens with action and needs to happen NOW!" James wrote on Twitter. There was a predictably cool response to the NBA activism from President Donald Trump. "They've become like a political organization, and that's not a good thing," Trump said.

NBA eyes return as players, owners discuss action on racial injustice

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner on Thursday criticized a walkout by NBA stars protesting against racism and police brutality, saying they were fortunate to be rich enough to take the night off.

The Milwaukee Bucks led the boycott over another police shooting of a black man, forcing the league to halt its playoff schedule and prompting a wave of walkouts in other sports.

The NBA postponed its Wednesday evening fixtures after the Bucks refused to play the Orlando Magic in protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Sunday.

"The players in the NBA... have the luxury of taking a night off from work -- most Americans don't have the financial luxury to do that," said Kushner in an interview with the Politico news site.

"I think that it's nice that they're standing up for the issue but I'd like to see them start moving into concrete solutions that are productive."

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James voiced solidarity with the Bucks.

"WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT," James, who has launched several anti-racism initiatives, tweeted.

When told of James's record of anti-racism work, Kushner said that "if LeBron James reached out to the White House and we reach out to him, we're happy to talk with him and say, 'look, let's both agree on what we want to accomplish.'"

The NBA postponements marked a dramatic escalation in the league's calls for social justice, which have reverberated across US sport since the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May.

Large nationwide protests have been marked by violence and looting.

"I do think that peaceful protest has a place and it has importance," Kushner said. "You don't improve wealth equality by rioting and burning down stores."

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner on Thursday criticized a walkout by NBA stars protesting against racism and police brutality, saying they were fortunate to be rich enough to take the night off.

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner on Thursday criticized a walkout by NBA stars protesting against racism and police brutality, saying they were fortunate to be rich enough to take the night off. The Milwaukee Bucks led the boycott over another police shooting of a black man, forcing the league to halt its playoff schedule and prompting a wave of walkouts in other sports. The NBA postponed its Wednesday evening fixtures after the Bucks refused to play the Orlando Magic in protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Sunday. "The players in the NBA... have the luxury of taking a night off from work -- most Americans don't have the financial luxury to do that," said Kushner in an interview with the Politico news site. "I think that it's nice that they're standing up for the issue but I'd like to see them start moving into concrete solutions that are productive." Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James voiced solidarity with the Bucks. "WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT," James, who has launched several anti-racism initiatives, tweeted. When told of James's record of anti-racism work, Kushner said that "if LeBron James reached out to the White House and we reach out to him, we're happy to talk with him and say, 'look, let's both agree on what we want to accomplish.'" The NBA postponements marked a dramatic escalation in the league's calls for social justice, which have reverberated across US sport since the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May. Large nationwide protests have been marked by violence and looting. "I do think that peaceful protest has a place and it has importance," Kushner said. "You don't improve wealth equality by rioting and burning down stores."

Donald Trump son-in-law says NBA stars lucky to be able to afford racism walkout

Orange County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to officially declare August 24 as “Kobe Bryant Day” in the Southern California county. August 24 was opted for the special day as Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 and wore no. 24 jersey during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.&nbsp;

Byrant breathed his last in January when his helicopter crashed into a Calabasas hillside while he was en route to a youth basketball tournament with his daughter Gianna and seven others. No one survived the crash.

Orange County Board chairperson Michelle Steel had suggested the “Kobe Bryant Day” as she mentioned that the basketball megastar was a “treasured member of our community” and “inspired so many men and women to pursue their and never give up”.

As per the Orange County Register, Steel is a die-hard lifelong Lakers fan and once was force to give birth at The Forum because she was attending a Lakers match. The Orange County Board was of the view that it was a fitting tribute to honour Bryant on his 42nd birthday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/michael-jordans-sneakers-set-new-record-sell-for-615000-320441" hreflang="en">Michael Jordan's sneakers set new record, sell for $615,000</a>

"Kobe Bryant's life, like each one of us who ever lived, presents moments to celebrate and to condemn," supervisor Don Wagner told CBS LA. "Kobe, like all of us, faced challenges, challenges of his own making and challenges thrown at him by life, that he overcome. Today, we celebrate the effort in overcoming those challenges.

"So we strike a balance, and on balance here the good recognized in the resolution brought here is worth celebrating.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Orange County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to officially declare August 24 as “Kobe Bryant Day” in the Southern California county. August 24 was opted for the special day as Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 and wore no.

Orange County supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to officially declare August 24 as “Kobe Bryant Day” in the Southern California county. August 24 was opted for the special day as Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 and wore no. 24 jersey during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Byrant breathed his last in January when his helicopter crashed into a Calabasas hillside while he was en route to a youth basketball tournament with his daughter Gianna and seven others. No one survived the crash. Orange County Board chairperson Michelle Steel had suggested the “Kobe Bryant Day” as she mentioned that the basketball megastar was a “treasured member of our community” and “inspired so many men and women to pursue their and never give up”. As per the Orange County Register, Steel is a die-hard lifelong Lakers fan and once was force to give birth at The Forum because she was attending a Lakers match. The Orange County Board was of the view that it was a fitting tribute to honour Bryant on his 42nd birthday. ALSO READ: Michael Jordan's sneakers set new record, sell for $615,000 "Kobe Bryant's life, like each one of us who ever lived, presents moments to celebrate and to condemn," supervisor Don Wagner told CBS LA. "Kobe, like all of us, faced challenges, challenges of his own making and challenges thrown at him by life, that he overcome. Today, we celebrate the effort in overcoming those challenges. "So we strike a balance, and on balance here the good recognized in the resolution brought here is worth celebrating.

August 24 declared as Kobe Bryant Day in Orange County, California

LeBron James has said he has no qualms about losing U.S. President Donald Trump as a viewer as the Los Angeles Lakers forward defended NBA players for kneeling in protest before games.

NBA teams have been protesting against racial injustice before games, with players wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts, bowing their heads and kneeling when the U.S. national anthem is played.

Trump told Fox News that he switches off the game when he sees players kneel, describing it as “disgraceful” and “not acceptable”.

“I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership, him viewing the game,” James told reporters after the Lakers lost 105-86 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday.

“I think our game is in a beautiful position and we have fans all over the world.

“Our fans not only love the way we play the game, we try to give it back to them with our commitment to the game but also respect what else we try to bring to the game and acknowledging what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Athletes from around the world have united behind anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis in May, with James being one of the NBA’s leading voices for social justice.

James added that he hoped Americans “no matter the race” could see the leadership the country had at the helm and urged them to make their vote count to bring about change when the U.S. goes to the polls in the Nov. 3 presidential election.

“November is right around the corner and it’s a big moment for us as Americans,” James, who started a group with other black celebrities in June to work to prevent the suppression of the African-American vote, added.

“If we continue to talk about, ‘We want better, we want change’, we have an opportunity to do that.

“But the game will go on without his eyes on it. I can sit here and speak for all of us that love the game of basketball, we could (not) care less.”

LeBron James has said he has no qualms about losing U.S. President Donald Trump as a viewer as the Los Angeles Lakers forward defended NBA players for kneeling in protest before games.

LeBron James has said he has no qualms about losing U.S. President Donald Trump as a viewer as the Los Angeles Lakers forward defended NBA players for kneeling in protest before games. NBA teams have been protesting against racial injustice before games, with players wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts, bowing their heads and kneeling when the U.S. national anthem is played. Trump told Fox News that he switches off the game when he sees players kneel, describing it as “disgraceful” and “not acceptable”. “I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership, him viewing the game,” James told reporters after the Lakers lost 105-86 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday. “I think our game is in a beautiful position and we have fans all over the world. “Our fans not only love the way we play the game, we try to give it back to them with our commitment to the game but also respect what else we try to bring to the game and acknowledging what’s right and what’s wrong.” Athletes from around the world have united behind anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis in May, with James being one of the NBA’s leading voices for social justice. James added that he hoped Americans “no matter the race” could see the leadership the country had at the helm and urged them to make their vote count to bring about change when the U.S. goes to the polls in the Nov. 3 presidential election. “November is right around the corner and it’s a big moment for us as Americans,” James, who started a group with other black celebrities in June to work to prevent the suppression of the African-American vote, added. “If we continue to talk about, ‘We want better, we want change’, we have an opportunity to do that. “But the game will go on without his eyes on it. I can sit here and speak for all of us that love the game of basketball, we could (not) care less.”

NBA: James not bothered about losing Trump as a viewer amid kneeling criticism

Claims of physical abuse at NBA basketball academies in China are "disturbing", a senior official said, while adding that none of the coaches provided by the league were accused of wrongdoing.

Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said the NBA was reassessing its programme in China and that the league's role was limited to providing just three coaches at each Chinese-run academy.

An ESPN report released this week detailed physical abuse and a lack of schooling at the academies in Shandong, Zhejiang and Xinjiang -- the western region where China is accused of holding one million people in internment camps. NBA cut its ties with the Xinjiang academy last year.

"The allegations in the ESPN article are disturbing," Tatum said, in a statement sent to AFP.&nbsp;

"We ended our involvement with the basketball academy in Xinjiang in June 2019 and have been re-evaluating the NBA Academy programme in China."

The ESPN report described widespread physical punishment for young players, a lack of formal education, cramped living conditions, two or three training sessions a day and few extracurricular activities.

It said the academy project was "fundamentally flawed" because the NBA coaches are placed under the authority of Chinese officials and do not have access to the country's elite players.

Tatum said the NBA launched the "elite player development initiative in 2016 by working to support three existing basketball development centres in China operated by local sports authorities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Our role was limited to providing three coaches at each academy, none of whom have been alleged to have engaged in any wrongdoing."

One expert quoted in the report, a British-based academic who grew up in China, said physical discipline was common among Chinese coaches, pointing to cultural differences with the West.

Claims of physical abuse at NBA basketball academies in China are "disturbing", a senior official said, while adding that none of the coaches provided by the league were accused of wrongdoing.

Claims of physical abuse at NBA basketball academies in China are "disturbing", a senior official said, while adding that none of the coaches provided by the league were accused of wrongdoing. Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said the NBA was reassessing its programme in China and that the league's role was limited to providing just three coaches at each Chinese-run academy. An ESPN report released this week detailed physical abuse and a lack of schooling at the academies in Shandong, Zhejiang and Xinjiang -- the western region where China is accused of holding one million people in internment camps. NBA cut its ties with the Xinjiang academy last year. "The allegations in the ESPN article are disturbing," Tatum said, in a statement sent to AFP. "We ended our involvement with the basketball academy in Xinjiang in June 2019 and have been re-evaluating the NBA Academy programme in China." The ESPN report described widespread physical punishment for young players, a lack of formal education, cramped living conditions, two or three training sessions a day and few extracurricular activities. It said the academy project was "fundamentally flawed" because the NBA coaches are placed under the authority of Chinese officials and do not have access to the country's elite players. Tatum said the NBA launched the "elite player development initiative in 2016 by working to support three existing basketball development centres in China operated by local sports authorities. "Our role was limited to providing three coaches at each academy, none of whom have been alleged to have engaged in any wrongdoing." One expert quoted in the report, a British-based academic who grew up in China, said physical discipline was common among Chinese coaches, pointing to cultural differences with the West.

China academy abuse claims 'disturbing', says NBA

Young players have been physically abused and left without schooling at NBA basketball academies in China, which were described as "sweat camp(s) for athletes", an ESPN report said.

Multiple coaches have complained about physical punishment at the academies including a facility in Xinjiang, the region where China is accused of holding more than a million members of ethnic minorities in internment camps.

The NBA says it cut ties last year with Xinjiang, but the world's most popular basketball league continues to operate academies in Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, in sports facilities run by the Chinese government.

One former coach said he saw a Chinese counterpart hurl a ball into a young player's face and "kick him in the gut" according to the ESPN investigation.

"Imagine you have a kid who's 13, 14 years old, and you've got a grown coach who is 40 years old hitting your kid," the coach was quoted as saying. "We're part of that. The NBA is part of that."

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told ESPN that only a "handful" of complaints about abuse had been received -- but added that the league is "re-evaluating" the academy program.

"One of the lessons that we've learned here is that we do need to have more direct oversight and the ability to make staffing changes when appropriate," Tatum said.

"We don't have oversight of the local coaches, of the academic programs or the living conditions," he added. "It's fair to say we were less involved than we wanted to be."

The report, by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Steve Fainaru and his brother Mark Fainaru-Wada, who covered the BALCO steroid scandal, comes at a time of fraught relations between the NBA and China.

State broadcaster CCTV stopped screening NBA games last year after a Houston Rockets executive tweeted in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.&nbsp;

The NBA, which will restart its coronavirus-halted season later Thursday, says the row has cost it hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenues.

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Find another Yao Ming' -</h2>

&nbsp;

The NBA began launching international academies in 2016, placing three in China. The aim was to "find another Yao", former employees told ESPN, referring to China's towering former Rockets center Yao Ming.

But the Chinese project was "fundamentally flawed" according to Bruce Palmer, a former technical director at a private basketball school in China who was hired by the NBA to evaluate the academies.

The main problems were that NBA employees were placed under Chinese authority, and that the league was prevented from working with China's elite players, Palmer said.

"We were basically working for the Chinese government," one former coach was quoted as saying.

According to ESPN, one coach requested a transfer after seeing Chinese coaches hit teenage players, while another left because he couldn't stomach the lack of education.

"I couldn't continue to show up every day, looking at these kids and knowing they would end up being taxi drivers," told ESPN.

Education was intended as a central plank of the academies, but no formal schooling was provided by the Chinese sport bureaus, the report said.

It detailed cramped living conditions at the Xinjiang academy, where rooms meant for two players were accommodating up to 10, sleeping in bunk beds.

Players trained two or three times a day and had few extracurricular activities, ESPN said, adding that teenagers as young as 13 were often left unsupervised.

One expert quoted in the report pointed out that physical punishment was common among sports coaches in China, underlining a cultural difference with the West.

"For most of the older generation, even my grandparents, they take corporal punishment for granted and even see it as an expression of love and care," said Jinming Zheng, an assistant professor of sports management at Northumbria University in England.

"The older generation still sees it as an integral part of training."

Young players have been physically abused and left without schooling at NBA basketball academies in China, which were described as "sweat camp(s) for athletes", an ESPN report said.

Young players have been physically abused and left without schooling at NBA basketball academies in China, which were described as "sweat camp(s) for athletes", an ESPN report said. Multiple coaches have complained about physical punishment at the academies including a facility in Xinjiang, the region where China is accused of holding more than a million members of ethnic minorities in internment camps. The NBA says it cut ties last year with Xinjiang, but the world's most popular basketball league continues to operate academies in Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, in sports facilities run by the Chinese government. One former coach said he saw a Chinese counterpart hurl a ball into a young player's face and "kick him in the gut" according to the ESPN investigation. "Imagine you have a kid who's 13, 14 years old, and you've got a grown coach who is 40 years old hitting your kid," the coach was quoted as saying. "We're part of that. The NBA is part of that." NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told ESPN that only a "handful" of complaints about abuse had been received -- but added that the league is "re-evaluating" the academy program. "One of the lessons that we've learned here is that we do need to have more direct oversight and the ability to make staffing changes when appropriate," Tatum said. "We don't have oversight of the local coaches, of the academic programs or the living conditions," he added. "It's fair to say we were less involved than we wanted to be." The report, by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Steve Fainaru and his brother Mark Fainaru-Wada, who covered the BALCO steroid scandal, comes at a time of fraught relations between the NBA and China. State broadcaster CCTV stopped screening NBA games last year after a Houston Rockets executive tweeted in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. The NBA, which will restart its coronavirus-halted season later Thursday, says the row has cost it hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenues. - 'Find another Yao Ming' - The NBA began launching international academies in 2016, placing three in China. The aim was to "find another Yao", former employees told ESPN, referring to China's towering former Rockets center Yao Ming. But the Chinese project was "fundamentally flawed" according to Bruce Palmer, a former technical director at a private basketball school in China who was hired by the NBA to evaluate the academies. The main problems were that NBA employees were placed under Chinese authority, and that the league was prevented from working with China's elite players, Palmer said. "We were basically working for the Chinese government," one former coach was quoted as saying. According to ESPN, one coach requested a transfer after seeing Chinese coaches hit teenage players, while another left because he couldn't stomach the lack of education. "I couldn't continue to show up every day, looking at these kids and knowing they would end up being taxi drivers," told ESPN. Education was intended as a central plank of the academies, but no formal schooling was provided by the Chinese sport bureaus, the report said. It detailed cramped living conditions at the Xinjiang academy, where rooms meant for two players were accommodating up to 10, sleeping in bunk beds. Players trained two or three times a day and had few extracurricular activities, ESPN said, adding that teenagers as young as 13 were often left unsupervised. One expert quoted in the report pointed out that physical punishment was common among sports coaches in China, underlining a cultural difference with the West. "For most of the older generation, even my grandparents, they take corporal punishment for granted and even see it as an expression of love and care," said Jinming Zheng, an assistant professor of sports management at Northumbria University in England. "The older generation still sees it as an integral part of training."

Child abuse, lack of schooling at NBA's China academies: report

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday.

The 12-team league announced on Monday tests of 137 WNBA players between June 28 and July 5 returned seven positives for coronavirus, although no names or clubs were revealed.

Under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations followed by the league, players who test positive will self-isolate until being cleared by a physician, generally after two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

The Indiana Fever will delay travel to the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida, by at least five days, the league said, "in an abundance of caution due to the CDC's close contact self-quarantine requirements."

Players and staff from the other 11 clubs were set to arrive Monday at IMG Academy to start a virus-delayed 2020 season.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced last month the league would stage a season at IMG Academy that would include 22 games for each team without spectators starting in late July after pre-season training workouts.

Cases of COVID-19 have spiked in Florida in recent days after state officials welcomed teams into bubble isolation plans to stage seasons. The NBA and Major League Soccer are using bubbles at Disney World in Orlando to play games despite the deadly virus.

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday.

Seven Women's NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday's scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday. The 12-team league announced on Monday tests of 137 WNBA players between June 28 and July 5 returned seven positives for coronavirus, although no names or clubs were revealed. Under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations followed by the league, players who test positive will self-isolate until being cleared by a physician, generally after two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. The Indiana Fever will delay travel to the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida, by at least five days, the league said, "in an abundance of caution due to the CDC's close contact self-quarantine requirements." Players and staff from the other 11 clubs were set to arrive Monday at IMG Academy to start a virus-delayed 2020 season. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced last month the league would stage a season at IMG Academy that would include 22 games for each team without spectators starting in late July after pre-season training workouts. Cases of COVID-19 have spiked in Florida in recent days after state officials welcomed teams into bubble isolation plans to stage seasons. The NBA and Major League Soccer are using bubbles at Disney World in Orlando to play games despite the deadly virus.

Seven Women's NBA players positive, Fever delays trip

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