The NBA Disney Plans Look Pretty Cool!
Last night the NBA and Disney released their plans for what the return to play would look like. Honestly, I kind of like the look of this. The 22 teams will share three hotels, have arenas to practice and play in, and be allowed to carry 35 people per team (including players and coaching staff).
Sources: NBA teams Disney hotels based on seeding:
-Grand Destino: Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz, Heat
-Grand Floridian: Thunder, 76ers, Rockets, Pacers, Mavericks, Nets, Grizzlies, Magic
-Yacht Club: Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, Suns, Wizards— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
So it’s clear the league is putting all title favorites in the Gran Destino. I mean I have never stayed there but it looks like its fit for teams looking to make a run.
I can only imagine that each team will take up one floor or section of the hotel and then have scheduled eating times.
Next up we have the Gran Floridian, who we have all seen. It’s that long beautiful resort right on the water and you ride past it if you go to Magic Kingdom. It’s just a step below the Destino but it’s still really nice.
Finally we have the “thanks for coming, here is a free stay at our hotels” package. The remainder of the teams will stay at the Yacht Club. Which once again, not knocking it at all, I’d love to stay at any of these but I just find it hilarious the NBA very much tiered their teams.
I think my favorite part about this news is how much partying the players are going to partake in. So you’re going to put 8 teams in a hotel and expect them to follow the rules? No shot. I know they aren’t allowed to leave the hotel but if there is a will, then there is a way and I fully believe they will find a way.
They are literally the only people at Disney and they have a players lounge.
In NBA's ORL campus:
– Hotel amenities: players-only lounge (NBA 2K, TVs, gaming), pool/trails, barbers, manicurists, pedicurists
– 24-hour VIP concierge
– Daily entertainment: Movie screenings, DJ sets, video games, ping pong, pool, lawn games
– Players can attend other games— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
It’s going to be like college all over again for these guys. There is just too much that can possibly happen to put down in one blog. For example, imagine the high stakes card/2K games? What are they playing with, like $100,000? Or even better what about the feuds?
The NBA really put Westbrook and Embiid in the same hotel… like imagine if they meet at the snack bar? Come on that’s just way too funny to think about. I think for a lot of these guys this is going to be a joke. It’s like going on vacation with your friends where you show up to everything drunk or hungover and you just eat junk food for a full week just to get by and this feels just like that.
And what about the older players? Like you think LeBron is going to have a fun time in Disney? I mean probably because who doesn’t, but he will not be out there jumping from room to room with a bottle of the Goose every night. But those young guys, oh they definitely will be.
Finally here is a look at the arenas they will be playing at.
Sources: NBA has sent teams a visual of court/workout arrangements in Orlando: pic.twitter.com/sT2rtFyKXK
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
I’m super excited to see how this turns out and if ESPN is going to be recording an Inside the Bubble type of documentary. I think this is something we might look back on in 10 years and say “wow this was an awesome idea.” Maybe we could get like a mid-year tournament down there someday, but let’s see how it goes this year first.
–John McCormack (Uncle_Mac4)