Stop the season. Stop the games, men’s and women’s college basketball, right now, according to several prominent college basketball coaches.
The college basketball season officially began in late November — yet, 33 men’s teams still have not played one game because of COVID-19 interruptions. A number of prominent voices in the college basketball game are wondering if the season should be stopped or postponed with the COVID-19 crisis anything but under control, especially with the physical, emotional and mental toll it has on college student athletes.
Many states has declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency and have implemented restrictions on travel, business and public gatherings. Additionally, there are approximately 2,000 deaths a day and nearly 300,000 new COVID-19 infection cases daily across the country. Nationally and locally, communities have experienced a spike in positive COVID-19 cases since late November. Local and state governments and public health officials are now predicting COVID-19 cases will continue to spike even higher in January following the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Coach K calls for leadership to take a look at the safety of players and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic https://t.co/D77YHdQqWO pic.twitter.com/TImEyVwx4G
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 9, 2020
The most vocal advocate for stopping (or pausing) the men’s and women’s college basketball season is Duke’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. Coach Krzyzewski wants the NCAA “…for the mental health and safety of our players and staff, to assess where we’re at” with with regards to the college basketball season and in light of more COVID-19 game cancellations.
The Duke men’s basketball program will forgo its remaining nonconference regular-season basketball games. The decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to allow the Blue Devils’ players time over the holidays to spend with their families, according to a release from the university.
UPDATE: We will forgo our remaining non-conference regular-season games for the 2020-21 season. Next up is Notre Dame next Wednesday in South Bend. pic.twitter.com/z3uSVAXjqe
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 10, 2020
References:
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/acc/2020/12/09/mike-krzyzewski-wants-ncaa-re-evaluate-playing-during-covid-19/3864481001/
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/acc/2020/12/10/duke-cancels-remainder-nonconference-basketball-schedule/3889557001/
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/christinebrennan/2020/12/09/college-basketball-while-covid-19-raging-makes-no-sense-coaches/3867975001/