On Monday evening, NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke on Twitter Live in an extended interview with TNT broadcaster Ernie Johnson.
In the discussion, Silver was asked about a possible timetable for the NBA resuming play and also the phone call he and the other professional sports commissioners had with President Donald Trump on Saturday, April 4.
"It was an old-school conference call," Silver said. "No video. I was notified, and the league, I think all the leagues were notified earlier in the week that it was something the President wanted to do. The specific time wasn't set until Friday afternoon. We were notified it was going to take place at noon on Saturday.
"It lasted about 45 minutes. And it was more like a conventional conference call. You were given a call-in number and a participant number that was specific to you, I assume, for security purposes. I don't know who was on the line with the President from his office because only the President spoke, but he made some introductory remarks again just in terms of the fact that he is a passionate sports fan and the fact that he missed seeing live sports on television. He mentioned he'd been watching some classic telecasts of games in all sports and he went on to say, 'I'd love to hear from all of you,' and I think we all just took turns."
From there, Silver said each commissioner offered updates on the status of their leagues. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert provided a rundown on the W's virtual draft scheduled for April 17 and the recent postponement of their season. Silver discussed the aforementioned "NBA Together" intiative, which strives to circulate best practices for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 — from social distancing and hand washing and sheltering at home protocols.
"Early on I think there was particular concern from the government that young people in particular, who are known to feel a little invulnerable in life," Silver said of the demographic he hopes the league's messaging will resonate with. "I think at this point we've had roughly 30 public service announcements including from players like Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert that were some of the initial well-known people to test positive in this country. So it gave them a chance also to remind young people in particular — even to the extent that the data is showing young people, while at risk, are not as at-risk as older people or people with preexisting conditions — that they owe it to their fellow citizens to sacrifice and to stay at home and observe those protocols."
Moreover, Silver said the commissioners and President Trump discussed the economic and societal good that sports returning might have on a country that is in for a long relief and recovery process as a result of the pandemic.
NBA
"I know all the leagues share this view that we'd love to be part of the movement to restart the economy," Silver said. "Of course that can't come in a way that would compromise safety. But I think we also have to recognize that it's a public health matter to shut down the economy and leave tens of millions of Americans unemployed. It's a public health matter to isolate people."
But of course, that is a secondary priority to solving the problem in the first place. Silver understands that point.
"Again, all done for good reason right now. Health and safety have to come before any commercial interests. It's a balance but even in terms of psychological impacts of isolating people. I think there's no doubt at this point that as a country we are following the right course."
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