The Return of Hoops?

It’s July already?  I can’t believe half of the year is gone just like that. So far, these past few months have been totally unpredictable.  “Expect the unexpected,” I think is the best way to describe 2020 into words.  The uncertainty that has been driven by the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted millions across the globe including myself. Who am I? I am Christian Wilson.

To give you guys a little background about myself, I grew up in the Southeastern part of Queens, New York and still reside in NYC today.  I like to think of myself as an optimistic person, however Covid-19 has brought about a lot of uncertainty at the forefront of my mind just about everyday.  No matter where you come from, we’ve all had to adjust and no matter what you believe in, we can all agree that things have been very different since the beginning of this pandemic.

The culture of sports has been a staple in this country since…forever. So, it is safe to say that life without sports has been indeed different. Since March, sports on all levels from the major professional leagues down to the children have all been put on pause.  On the night of March 11th, following the news of a positive Coronavirus test by Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, the National Basketball Association (NBA) suspended the remainder of the 2020-21 season. This sent shock waves through the media, and the domino effect began. In the following days, cancellations and suspensions were announced to include all active sports.

Rudy Gobert, the first NBA player to be tested positive for Covid-19

 Every sports fan knows the month of March is dominated by none other than the NCAA March Madness. Unfortunately, it was cancelled as well. The cancellation of the NCAA tournament inevitably changed the lives of many athletes and stripped away opportunities that will never come around again.  Personally, it did not affect me nearly as much.  I am a member of Longwood University’s men's basketball team.  Longwood is an active member of the NCAA’s Big South Conference. By the time the news broke out, our conference tournament had already concluded.  At this point in time it determined that we would not be playing in March.  However, for thousands of young men and women around the country, this was not the case.  As a collegiate athlete, I understand the hours put into the game; the blood, sweat, and tears that a college season can bring.  Being that I’m both a fan of the game as well as a friend of many men and women who play college basketball, I was very disappointed.

 My close friend Keith Williams was in the midst of finishing up what was a breakout Jr. season for him at Cincinnati University. Keith and I grew up in New York and have formed a friendship through basketball that has lasted about ten years now.  Recently in a phone conversation, he expressed to me that he was “shocked and let down” about the cancellation of the tournament.  As natives of New York, the most impacted state throughout this pandemic, he made sure to acknowledge his understanding about the seriousness of Covid-19.  However as a 22-year old, on the brink of being a possible NBA draft pick, it was hard for him to hold in the frustration that this pandemic has brought forth.  Aside from the NCAA tournament, there are pre-draft workouts, the NBA Combine, and the NBA Summer League. All of these events provide ample opportunities for players like Keith who are just inches away from becoming a member of the league.  Along with Keith are hundreds of prospects around the world who probably won’t get a fair shot to make their case for being drafted or being signed to an NBA team. He mentioned that through the adversity, he has been doing everything in his power to prepare himself for when the next opportunity comes about. Losing sleep at night thinking about “what could have been,” undoubtedly leaves an unsettling feeling for what the future holds for him.

Keith Williams vs South Florida March 3, 2020 

Currently, it is the middle of the summer and no I am not home in Queens with my family.  Instead I am exactly where I need to be. In a small town called Farmville, Virginia handling business as usual.  Summer workouts with my teammates provides a great opportunity to create team chemistry, work on my game, and get ahead in school. However, I’d be lying if I said that getting back into a routine feels normal because it definitely doesn’t. Upon arrival, we were all tested for Covid-19 and placed into quarantine until our results came back.  Every morning before I enter the gym, I must go through a screening process that involves my temperature being taken amongst other things.  Along with that, there are a number of restrictions in place for my coaches and teammates because of Covid-19 protocols. Am I upset about that? Absolutely not. My safety and the safety of my family and friends always comes first! I cannot express that enough. I view my teammates and coaches as family, so I want them to be as safe and protected as they can possibly be. If our safety means that we all can’t be in the gym at the same time, then so be it.  I am more so appreciative of the fact that we’ve been given an opportunity to be here together and work on our craft during these trying times.  Not to mention that every college team has not been allowed to gather together right now during the summer.  However, us being here in this moment still does not guarantee our season, everything is still unpredictable and there are many more adjustments to come. 

Longwood Basketball celebrating after a win vs High Point. Feb 22, 2020

Pictured left to right: Jashuan Smith, Heru Bligen, Christian Wilson, Jaylon Wilson

On July 8th, the Ivy League shook the media once again by cancelling all fall sports competition until at least January 1st.  For some context, the Ivy League was the first to cancel their conference tournaments back in March setting a precedent for other conferences to follow.  It goes without saying that many people are worried by this, including me.  Is our conference next in line to follow this? What does this mean for our upcoming season? Will we even be able to have class on campus this year? Many questions that have no answers at this very moment. 

 All of this uncertainty can drive young men and women crazy. There is so much frustration in feeling stuck when you are trying to figure so many things out. I refuse to let negative emotions get to me. As mentioned above, I’ll redirect these emotions and difficult times to motivate me towards getting my Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies this upcoming year.  As for the basketball side of things, all I can do is stay ready.  I don’t know when we will be able to continue, but one thing is for certain; I will stay positive and take it day by day.  In the end, that’s just about all we can do.