VIDEO: LeBron Says He Won't Play in Empty Stadiums if NBA Bans Fans Due to Coronavirus
By Brady Williams
The Lakers' biggest star laughed with reporters on Saturday, claiming he wouldn't play a game in an empty arena if the NBA decided to go that route. With the coronavirus continuing to spread in parts of the world, nations like Italy have banned fans from sporting events in an effort to prevent further contamination. Should that trend be adopted by the United States, LeBron James claims it's "impossible" to play like that.
“We play games without the fans? Nah, that’s impossible. I ain’t playing, if I ain’t got the fans in the crowd, that’s who I play for.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 7, 2020
—LeBron James on the possibility of playing games without fans in attendance due to concerns from the Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/E3Yb41YfCK
As of Saturday morning, 28 states have reported cases of the dangerous flu-like disease, with over 330 confirmed cases. As the virus continues to spread, many are wondering how it will affect day-to-day life, especially if the pandemic should reach the same threat level in the USA as it has in China and Italy.
For King James, it might mean sitting out, not for fear of infection, but out of love for his fans. The NBA legend claimed he plays for his teammates and the spectators. Regardless of James' sentiments, teams are already being asked to prepare for the worst.
Amid increasing concerns about the coronavirus, the NBA asked teams to begin developing processes and identifying actions required if they had to play games without fans in attendance. https://t.co/FdBLVeEwYf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 7, 2020
If cases continue to crop up across the country and death tolls rise, so too does the possibility of a crowd-free Lakers game. It may mean a LeBron James-free Lakers game, too.