Suns’ Monty Williams impressed by NBA bubble after initial skepticism

Everyone has a choice to control how much they are helping (or not helping) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Some are more fortunate than others in terms of how much they can limit potential exposure based on a multitude of factors, namely one’s occupation.

Most of the control for those in the NBA bubble is now gone. They, like others across the planet, can take all the necessary precautions available to them to be as secure as possible. But now it’s primarily on the NBA to keep everyone at Walt Disney World safe.

That sounds a bit overwhelming, right?

So it shouldn’t be surprising to hear Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams admit on Friday that he was initially hesitant on how they’d do it.

“I came into it with a bit of skepticism trying to figure out how are they going to keep us safe,” he said. “All of that.”

Williams, though, showed media over a video call all the gadgets he’s got to keep him safe and everyone accounted for.

“Man, I got so much stuff on me,” he said with a laugh.

Williams has a wristband he uses to get into his hotel room that also has him check-in everywhere he goes, holding it up to a surface until he gets the green light go-ahead. Your mind jumps to this as a tracking device of sorts, but this will also exponentially help the NBA with contact tracing if it becomes necessary with a positive test.

“So everywhere we go we have to check-in and check out,” he said.

Williams also got what he delightfully referred to it as a “ring thingy” on his right ring finger. The “smart ring” monitors sleep, pulse, movement, temperature and oxygen levels, with the hope that it would be able to catch COVID-19 symptoms early.

His required credential includes another device as well that, for those who want it to do so, will set off an alarm if they have spent too much time within six feet of someone.

Upon seeing all this and the execution by the NBA in the first three days, Williams is a full-on believer now.

“The NBA has gone above and beyond to give us every chance to be successful,” Williams said.

“When you get here and see all the stuff, it’s actually pretty impressive.”

The coach said Friday was the first day the Suns saw members of other teams around the complex. Some teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, just arrived and are still undergoing the quarantining the Suns have already wrapped up.

“Today, you didn’t have to be in your hotel room all day,” Williams said. “I got out, walked around the lake.”

It sounds like that with a clear mind of his safety and his surroundings, Williams is settling in.

“I have a view of the lake and I’m actually good with that,” he said of his room. “I can’t wait to figure out a way where I can go out there and fish if they’ll let me. If there’s a few bass in that lake with my name on it.”

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