Basketball siblings both in ‘bubbles’
The goal when the two were making their names at leading programs in college wasn’t necessarily his and her “bubbles” in Florida in the Summer of 2020.
But that’s exactly where this COVID-19 challenge has placed both Miami Heat forward Kyle Alexander and his sister Kayla Alexander, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.
For the next several weeks, the two will be separated by 106 miles — and also out of reach of each other due to the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
For Kyle, the rookie out of Tennessee who is on a two-way contract with the Heat, the quarantine base is the luxury of the NBA’s set-up at the Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs.
For Kayla, the former Syracuse star who is an eight-year veteran of the WNBA, the setting is the more spartan campus setup at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.
“I mean it’s a weird time for everybody,” Kyle Alexander said by phone before a Heat practice. “Is it weird that she’s in the bubble and I’m in the bubble? But we’re still here for each other. We’re seeing how each other’s situation is going and we’re both trying to make the most of it.”
For Kyle Alexander, it is an opportunity to make a sustained impression, after a knee injury sidelined him at midseason, following a heartening breakout with the Heat at summer league last July. For Kayla Alexander, at 29 six years older than her brother, it is about a fresh start after previous WNBA stints in Chicago, Indiana and San Antonio.
But when it comes to the NBA and WNBA hierarchy, seniority only counts for so much.
“When I first got here, I was like, ‘Man, it’s not that bad,’ ” Kyle said of his experience that has included upscale amenities and concierge service. “She got to her bubble a day earlier than I did, and they had to deal with ants and the places weren’t clean, and all that. And their food apparently wasn’t that good, either. So when I got here, I was like, ‘It’s not that bad here.’ “
Kayla will be up first, with the Lynx opening their season on July 26 against the Connecticut Sun. Kyle’s regular-season re-opener will be at the end of that week, on Aug. 1 against the Denver Nuggets.
That will have them close than competitive proximity.
“My family is all really close,” Kyle said. “We all keep in touch. But me and in more
Miami Dolphins defensive back Steven Parker during a workout with Pete Bommarito Training on Auto Nation Field at University School in Davie on Thursday. The scary part: The unknown to what extent it is safe, to open training camp now,” NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said in a Zoom video conference with media.
“Every decision we make that doesn’t look at the long term of getting through a full season is going to set us up for failure,” added JC Tretter, president of the NFLPA who plays center for the Cleveland Browns.
A summer of Zoom meetings and social-distanced workouts could all be pointless if the owners and players can’t come to terms on COVID-19 protocol designed to be keep players, coaches and their families safe.
The NFLPA recently announced that 72 players have tested positive for COVID-19, and the odds are high that in a workforce of nearly 3,000 players reporting to training camp, the positive cases will increase further when every player is tested.
“We’ve got guys going home to elderly people, and pregnant wives and girlfriends and people whose immune system is compromised,” Chicago Bears receiver Allen Robinson said after one of his training sessions at Pete Bommarito Performance Systems in South Florida, which has helped dozens of NFL players prepare for camp while complying with social-distancing regulations.
“The unknown is the scariest part,” said Dolphins tailback Jordan Howard. “They had all this time to figure things out but decided to ramp things up at the last minute. Hopefully they can figure things out and we can get back to football.”
Most training camps have already been closed to the public already. And there’s plenty of skepticism about whether fans will be in NFL stands on gameday because of social-distancing guidelines. Some teams already have announced reduced stadium capacities should regular-season games be played.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg because some NFL locales could be on the verge of shutting down again, attempting
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to turn the tide as infections and infection rates rise.
Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel was recently on one of many calls the NFLPA has held with its workforce and their agents, and he could sense a ton of “unrest and concern” from his peers.
“If I contract COVID-19, what protections do I have as a player? Is that a football injury? What is that? Is that an illness? Are you gonna be put on [injured reserve]?,” Biegel asked. “What kind of things are you going to do as an NFL organization to protect me from this?”
Players have been having constant discussions with one another, seeking answers to those questions, and gauging whether the owners have their best interests in mind.
“What if it’s four weeks in the season and we’ve got 10 players catch it?” Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones asked. “What are we going to do about it, especially if it’s significant starters in the league? We’ve got questions and concerns.”
Will players who test positive for COVID-19 be put on injured reserve, or will the owners create a roster exemption for them, allowing teams to sign or promote players from the practice squad to the 53-man roster until they are symptom-free?
Are preseason games necessary, and how many? The owners are pushing for two while the NFLPA’s stance is that exhibition games aren’t necessary. The NFLPA wants more training camp days because there were no offseason program or minicamps.
“Back in 2011 [during] the lockout, guys had the ability to train in the offseason but they didn’t have OTAs and they had limited camp and the injuries ramped up a lot. That’s a big deal,” Robinson said. “A lot of [training facilities] haven’t been open. I feel prepared, but depending where guys where, say New York, they haven’t really had much time at all to be able to work out at a facility.”
The bottom line is players have more questions than NFL teams and the NFLPA have provided answers for, and time is running out.
“It’s really just a guessing game as far as what’s going on in the future,” Dolphins safety Steven Parker said during a break between his two workouts on Thursday. “Only thing we can do is stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”