MUMBAI: League commissioner Adam Silver has told NBA TV that the NBA was not likely to pause their season for the Tokyo Olympics next year.
The Olympics has been postponed to July 23rd to August 8th of 2021 and this coincides with the NBA schedule due to the delayed start of their season caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The new season is set to begin in January.
"We'll consider it. I think it's unlikely at the end of the day that, if we start late, we would stop for the Olympics. It's not just a function of stopping for the period in which they are competing over in Tokyo, they require a training camp and then they require rest afterwards." Silver told NBA TV.
Many international players play in the NBA and Silver expressed concerns for other countries as some are yet to qualify for the Olympics and will be taking part in qualifiers next year which would affect the national teams.
"I'm a bit worried about some of the international teams, because some of their stars play in our league and their absence would make a huge difference for those national teams.”
"I'd only say these are such extraordinary circumstances that, even if we set out to plan for the Olympics, how can they even know what the world is going to be like next summer and whether they can go forward?" he added.
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