Work From Home is a new vertical dedicated to life and culture in the strange and unprecedented situation of self-quarantine that many of us are dealing with right now. From what to watch to how to get a fit off and how to not think about anything, this is our guide to the great indoors. For updates on the spread of Covid-19 and how to keep yourself safe and informed, consult WHO and the CDC.
The beauty of sports — besides the unparalleled athleticism — is that it provides a welcome distraction when it feels like life is getting the better of us. Whenever the world was paying attention to a negative defining moment in history, we still had sports to come home to at the end of the day. But with COVID-19 putting nearly all sports at a screeching halt, we've lost that ability to turn our brains off and simply enjoy the drone of the crowd.
Like so many other professional leagues, NBA players are contending with social distancing and self-isolation in an attempt to "flatten the curve" and slow the spread of what has already been classified a pandemic by the World Health Organization. But what exactly have these players been up to since the league cancelled all its games on March 11? We checked in with some of the league's biggest stars on social media and saw a few interesting patterns emerge.
Video Games
Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker was actually streaming on Twitch when he received word that the NBA season was being suspended. Booker certainly isn't alone in his love for playing video games. In the aftermath of the news, several other players have taken to social media to give fans updates — albeit in the digital realm — as opposed to IRL. For example, Lakers fan favorite Alex Caruso believes he has the skills to actually be a pro gamer. Others like Trae Young and Luka Doncic have both Tweeted that they're also using video games to stave off boredom, while Gordon Hayward's roots to eSports trace back to 2011 when he joined the IGN pro league.
For those wanting to keep up on NBA players on Twitch, we've got you covered.
Alex Caruso - https://www.twitch.tv/Acfresh21
Devin Booker - https://www.twitch.tv/dbook
Paul George - https://www.twitch.tv/ygtrece
De’Aaron Fox - https://www.twitch.tv/swipathefox/
Karl-Anthony Towns - https://www.twitch.tv/karltowns
Ben Simmons - https://www.twitch.tv/simmothesavage25/
Gordon Hayward - https://www.twitch.tv/gdhayward/
Luka Doncic - https://www.twitch.tv/doncic99/
Josh Hart- https://twitch.tv/jhartshow
Wendell Carter Jr.- https://www.twitch.tv/wendellcarterjr34
Watching old highlights
There's no better time than the present for players to relive the moments that either catapulted them into the league or cemented them as All-NBA type talent. We saw an honest exchange between the Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie and the Warriors Steph Curry, who each admitted they were both passing the time reliving their own key moments. In fact, Curry admitted that he was going down that rabbit hole at least twice a day.
Making music
Two of the more prolific NBA-players-turned-MC's are undoubtedly Damian Lillard and Lonzo Ball. Since the league suspended play, both have shifted their attention to making and promoting their music. Dame D.O.L.L.A. reminded his 1.9 million followers of his song "You Feel Me" from his 2019 album Big D.O.L.L.A., while Ball seemed to be cooking up something completely new. Bonus points go out to Giannis Antetokounmpo who is learning to play the guitar.
Embracing the boredom
Unlike the rest of the general public, NBA players are used to traveling to different cities every night, playing in front of thousands of screaming fans, and usually dining out at some of the best restaurants in the world. With that taken away rather quickly, players have found themselves plain old bored. The list of who has voiced their frustration with self-isolation include Trae Young, LeBron James, Tacko Fall, Ja Morant,and Serge Ibaka.
Missing playing
If there were one universal sentiment, it's that NBA players miss playing the game they love. We've specifically seen stars like LeBron James and Ja Morant share video tributes from Cameron Look, which captures what we all absolutely love about the game. Hopefully, we'll hear the bounce of the roundball sooner rather than later.
