When Bulls coach Jim Boylen walks into the United Center on game days, he usually greets the security guard near the door with a fist bump. Before Tuesday’s game against the Cavaliers, they replaced their greeting with an elbow tap.
Such is the new reality of interactions around the league as concerns about the coronavirus continue to sweep the globe. The NBA limited locker-room access before Tuesday’s game to players and essential team personnel, and teams have created 6- to 8-foot distances between players and media during interviews outside of locker rooms.
Teams in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NHL have taken the same steps to limit media access.
“It gets scary because it’s unknown,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine said. “Obviously if we’re taking precautions like this, it’s getting more and more serious. I just hope everybody is staying safe, staying healthy, staying clean, washing hands and things like that.
“The main thing is it’s unknown for sports and entertainment people, our little circle, and how it could be affected because you’re around so many people, you go on flights all the time, have so many interactions. You see how easy it spreads, so you just want to make sure everyone is safe and doing the right thing. It’s scary being in an unknown situation.”
Restricting locker-room access was among the first changes but probably won’t be the last.
The league previously suggested players limit physical interactions with fans, switching from handshakes to fist bumps, limiting open-hand touching and staying mindful of what they touch to sign autographs.
The NBA is planning a conference call Wednesday afternoon with team governors to discuss the possibility of more drastic precautions, according to ESPN, which could include playing games in arenas with only essential personnel in attendance.
“I’m a germaphobe,” Bulls guard Coby White said. “So I’m the type to shake your hand, then go straight to the bathroom and wash them.”
The NBA is not the only sports league affected by growing concerns over COVID-19, eight new cases of which were confirmed in Illinois on Tuesday, bringing the total number reported in the state to 19.
Italy has halted all sports until April. Some NCAA basketball conference tournaments have been canceled or will be played with limited attendance. The BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., was called off. Japan has delayed the start of its pro baseball season.
While the NBA has yet to take more drastic steps, players have responded with their own precautions, mainly more fist bumps and hand sanitizer.
LaVine’s home state of Washington has been the hardest hit in the United States and one of his best friends plays in Italy, so the impact has felt close to home for him.
White said he has found himself spending a lot of time talking about the issue because he’s curious how to stop a disease that has seemingly spread so quickly. The Bulls showed players a league-issued PowerPoint presentation last week in Minnesota.
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who received a four-year contract extension Tuesday, noticed a line in the bathroom near the sink before the team’s walk-through Tuesday morning.
“There’s definitely a heightened awareness,” Bickerstaff said. “You’ve seen guys with their own sanitizer. Fist bumps and elbow bumps, those type of things … you can tell that they’re paying attention.”
While there were pockets of empty seats Tuesday night at the United Center, fans still packed into the arena as usual for the Bulls-Cavs game. What remained unclear is how much longer they would be allowed to do so.
“It’s just weird. It’s weird,” White said from the podium pregame. “Like, this is just different. They’re taking precautions. I’m glad they’re doing that. … I didn’t imagine my first NBA season like this, but whatever.”