Mike Krzyzewski on College Basketball Hiatus Due To COVID: Should We Not Assess That?

Basketball - Olympics: Day 5
(Photo : Phil Walter/Getty Images) RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 10: Head coach Mike Krzyzewsk of United States shouts as Carmelo Anthony #15 reacts during the Men's Preliminary Round Group A between Australia and the United States on Day 5 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1 on August 10, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Duke State coach Mike Krzyzewski raised his concerns about the health of the players and staff amid the COVID-19 scare.

Coach Mike addressed the need to prioritize the safety of the players and basketball staff in the association. He spoke out that now is the time to pause the collegiate league for a while because the coronavirus pandemic is still wrecking the cities with million cases. 

"I would just like for the safety, the mental and physical health of players and staff to assess where we're at," Krzyzewski said in a press conference.

Krzyzewski's comment had penetrated through the people's ears who have a nose for news. Following the crushing loss of Duke against No.6 Illinois in an 83-68 demolition, he complained and voiced the demand to implement an immediate hiatus to the basketball events. His statement might ring a bell to some, but not all people are on the same wavelength as him.

Of course, this proved a strong point for the participants and spectators. At the start of March, sports competitions were still operating until the pandemic hit. Initially, there were only 1,000 cases daily at that time. 

Time moved fast as the daily average has already reached more than 196,000. Several cities have locked down as a result, and the sporting events became limited, and some were stopped.

In sports, the virus posed a huge threat not only to players but also to the coaches. Jim Boeheim and Tom Izzo were few coaches who have just tested positive for coronavirus last month. It abridged the freedom of playing and suppressed how the mere instance of activity can be converted to inactivity.

For example, the Gonzaga basketball team chose to let go of their four games for a week-long hiatus. It was per a mutual agreement between health officials to mitigate the possible coronavirus spread.

Krzyzewski suggested a reassessment of the mental and physical health of the athletes. He was looking at a bigger picture here, in the form of a sudden boom of the cases. 

The Naismith Hall of Fame coach was headstrong in his remark. Krzyzewski reiterated that coaches should be aware of what is happening, stressing that their leadership was lacking in the first place.

"I'm not sure who leads college basketball. It's done by committee. Anything that's led by a committee is not agile in handling a situation. There was a consensus. It wasn't like well-planned."

Furthermore, coach Rick Pitino, who just landed in Iona College, was boldly protesting for a later date of January or March to proceed.

"Spiking and protocols make it impossible to play right now," Pitino uttered.

Coach Krzyzewski might be stern with what he has said. But what does it tell? The instance he spoke meant that he wanted something to happen for the welfare of the people around him.

The five-time Olympic coach expected what was worst- and what was best. Despite the chaos that the pandemic has afflicted, he still hoped that the vaccine shots would be distributed soon.

He had two things in mind for that purpose. First, he urged to prioritize the safety of the players and staff, and second, he wants to return from the beloved sport that he once played - and now that he teaches.

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