Bubbleball: Saving the NBA Season

A captivating account of the NBA's strangest season ever, from shutdown to championship, from a prominent national basketball writer living inside the bubble, is presented in this article. When NBA player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020, the league shut down immediately, bringing a shocking, sudden pause to the season. As the pandemic raged, it looked as if it might be the first year in league history with no champion. However, four months later, after meticulous planning, twenty-two teams resumed play in a "bubble" at Disney World-a restricted, single-site locale cut off from the outside world.

Due to health concerns, the league invited only a handful of reporters, who were required to sacrifice medical privacy, live in a hotel room for more than three months, and submit to daily coronavirus testing in hopes of keeping the bubble from bursting. In exchange for the constant monitoring and restricted movement, they were allowed into a basketball fan's dream, with a courtside seat at dozens of games in nearly empty arenas.

Ben Golliver, the national NBA writer for the The Washington Post, was one of those allowed access. Bubbleball is his account of the season and life inside, telling the story of how basketball bounced back from its shutdown, how players staged headline-grabbing social justice protests, and how Lakers star LeBron James chased his fourth ring in unconventional and unforgettable circumstances. Based on months of reporting in the exclusive, confined environment, this is an entertaining record of an extraordinary season.

The shutdown of the NBA season in March 2020 due to Rudy Gobert's positive COVID-19 test was a shocking and sudden pause in the league's operations. As the pandemic continued to rage, it seemed possible that the 2019-20 season might be the first in league history without a champion. However, four months later, the NBA had developed a plan to resume play in a "bubble" at Disney World, a restricted, single-site location isolated from the outside world.

To gain access to the bubble, the league invited only a small number of reporters, who were required to sacrifice their medical privacy, live in a hotel room for over three months, and undergo daily COVID-19 testing. In exchange for this constant monitoring and restricted movement, these reporters were granted the opportunity of a lifetime - a courtside seat to dozens of games in nearly empty arenas, a true basketball fan's dream.

Ben Golliver, the national NBA writer for The Washington Post, was one of the privileged reporters allowed into the bubble. Bubbleball is his account of the season and life inside the confined environment, detailing how basketball bounced back from its sudden shutdown, the headline-grabbing social justice protests staged by players, and LeBron James' pursuit of his fourth championship ring under unconventional and unforgettable circumstances. Based on months of reporting from within the exclusive bubble, this is an entertaining record of an extraordinary NBA season.

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