Some NBA players skeptical of devices
Wearable tech devices have generated privacy concerns–perhaps unnecessarily so –in the NBA as the league plans to resume its season in a controlled, campus-like environment at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando.
In the NBA's 108-page health and safety protocols for resumption of the 2019-20 season, players have the option of wearing proximity devices which“will set off an audio alert when the person is within six feet of another person for more than five seconds,” and ring data monitors, which “may be relevant to the assessment of COVID19 (e.g., heart rate, heart rate variability, etc.).”
The National Basketball Players Association called them Our a rings in its health summary, but t he NBA did not name Oura as the brand in its document.
Some players on Twitter and agents expressed concerns about tracking and personal data.
Los Angeles Lake rs forward Kyle Kuz ma tweeted ,“Looks like a tracking device.”
"Does Adam Silver wear one with us while we're all in there,” Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie asked on Twitter.
To be clear though, these devices are optional – an issue that has been collectively bargained between the league and the NBPA.
Also, the league says it is not using these as tracking devices or performance measurements. They are for health only. (And let's not forget that Kuzma's mobile phone
data could mine to determine where he was when he sent that tweet.)
In the health and safety document, the NBA says of the wear able ring device:
Voluntary use: A team may request a player to use in practice (or otherwise not in a game) on a voluntary basis the ring. A player may decline to use ( or discontinue use of) the ring at any time.
Data access: A player will have full access to all data collected on him from the ring. Team staff will not have access to data collected from the ring, except for in the circumstance identified above in which the ring's illness probability score indicates that a player may be at higher risk for, or is showing signs of, a possible coronavirus infection.
Data use: The ring may not be used in games, and no player data collected from the ring worn at the request of a team will not be made available to the public in any way, used for any commercial purpose, or considered, used, discussed, or referenced in negotiations involving a future player contract or other player contract transaction involving the player.
The Our are tails for $299-$399 and also measures body temperature and sleeping habits. Twitter user @katgleason posted two photos – one of her Oura ring data when she had COVID- 1 9 in March and one yesterday recovered from COVID19. The data from the Oura ring in March indicated her resting heart rate was too high, her heart rate variability needed attention and overall she needed to “pay attention” to her health.