{"id":16828,"date":"2020-06-28T06:21:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-28T03:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/doris-burke-opens-up-about-coronavirus-struggle-nbas-return-concerns\/"},"modified":"2020-06-28T06:21:00","modified_gmt":"2020-06-28T03:21:00","slug":"doris-burke-opens-up-about-coronavirus-struggle-nbas-return-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/doris-burke-opens-up-about-coronavirus-struggle-nbas-return-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"#Doris Burke opens up about coronavirus struggle, NBA\u2019s return concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Doris Burke opens up about coronavirus struggle, NBA\u2019s return concerns<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n Doris Burke, an ESPN\/ABC NBA analyst and former MSG voice who was the first woman to work Knicks game<\/a>s on TV and radio, huddles with Steve Serby to discuss the NBA\u2019s return, safety concerns, and her personal fight after being diagnosed with COVID-19. <\/em><\/p>\n

Q: What do you envision the quality of play and number of injuries might be in Orlando when the NBA restarts?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: There\u2019s a rhythm to the NBA calendar. Given the time off, I think play is going to be sloppy to start. It\u2019s going to feel like those mid-October games that we sometimes televise. You can make the argument two ways as it relates to injuries: those that had some bumps and bruises that were really nagging and you were considering giving them some stretches of time off, those have healed. But \u2026 the intensity of an NBA game is hard to simulate in those environments.<\/p>\n

Q: What are your safety concerns in the bubble following your personal battle with coronavirus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It\u2019s a monster of a project to try to get right and put in place. As I hear players talk about pre-existing conditions or talk about their fears, I absolutely understand it. And one of the things I thought most about is that a lot of these guys have young kids. You\u2019re not only going down to the bubble, but at some point you\u2019re going to leave that bubble, and what do you do as a player if you\u2019re the parent of a young child? Do you go to a hotel when you get back to your respective market, and do you quarantine for two weeks and therefore stay away from your children longer to make sure, \u201cOK, I\u2019m not positive\u201d? The primary thought I have as it relates to fear doesn\u2019t necessarily have to do with myself, it has to do more with anybody who\u2019s not been infected, had COVID, recovered and doesn\u2019t have immunity, because I do worry. \u2026 As much as I know that the NBA is going to do absolutely everything in their power to make this environment as safe as possible, the fact of the matter is the ultimate bad outcome remains a possibility. There\u2019s inherent risk that everybody who goes down to Orlando assumes, and how you work that out in your own mind is a very personal choice. And I don\u2019t think we should criticize, judge or in any way, shape or form have negative feelings for those who express concern, because it\u2019s legitimate and it\u2019s real.<\/p>\n

Q: How scary was your bout with COVID-19?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The thing that I felt the most was fatigue and headache. So for a good stretch of the first two weeks of that, I was just thinking I had a bad flu, because my symptoms were not aligning with what was being told were the main symptoms \u2014 the shortness of breath, the pressure on the chest \u2014 I didn\u2019t have those scary symptoms. So for a good stretch of time, I didn\u2019t think I had it. But then I finally decided to get tested. It took eight days to get the results, and by the time I had gotten the results of the test, I was starting to come out of it. Was I scared? I had some measure of anxiety. I was sleeping 16, 17 hours a day, and the other time I was not getting out of bed, so I wasn\u2019t doing a whole lot.<\/p>\n

Q: Describe ABC\/ESPN and MSG announcer Mike Breen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Just class act. Close friend. Just the best. Kind human being.<\/p>\n

Q: Jeff Van Gundy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I like to call him my rabbi or my bishop. He\u2019s given me confidence when I\u2019ve needed it. I know he\u2019s advocated for me. I adore him.<\/p>\n

Q: Mark Jackson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He\u2019s the soul of our broadcast. There\u2019s a leadership quality to Mark. He\u2019s willing to test you.<\/p>\n

Q: Will Spurs assistant Becky Hammon be a head coach?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I believe she will. When Becky got the job, I distinctly remember saying to Kara Lawson, \u201cYou could be in that position as well.\u201d And she interestingly now is an assistant coach of the Boston Celtics. These are passionate, knowledgeable, high-character individuals who have the temperament, the knowledge, the touch, all the things required. There\u2019s a learning curve here regardless of your gender. I do believe they\u2019ll be head coaches when they are ready to be. I think it\u2019s the when, not the if.<\/p>\n

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Becky Hammon<\/span>NBAE via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Dick Vitale.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He\u2019s had a Hall of Fame career as an announcer -\u2014 what he has done for the V [Jim Valvano] Foundation is what I think will be his lasting legacy. This man\u2019s passion for the fight, first against cancer and now against pediatric cancer, it\u2019s absolutely been legendary. The lives that man has saved by the passionate pursuit of trying to eradicate cancer \u2014 incredible.<\/p>\n

Q: Suzyn Waldman.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Legend. Absolute legend. She had just come to a Liberty game for some reason, and I remember Gus [Johnson] saying to me, \u201cThat woman\u2019s tough as nails.\u201d And I thought, \u201cYeah, she has to be.\u201d All the women who went before me \u2014 like the Jackie MacMullans, Robin Roberts, Suzy \u2014 I am thankful for the point in history at which I\u2019ve been able to do my job, because I\u2019ve said this often: The players and the coaches have been my soft landing spot, and those men and their acceptance of me and the respect they\u2019ve shown to me on the air, that has changed fans\u2019 opinion of me.<\/p>\n

Q: Gregg Popovich.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I adore Gregg. Listen, I don\u2019t like those [courtside] interviews more than anybody else, but I tell a story about Pop that will capture him. He loses Game 7 [of the 2013 NBA Finals]. I\u2019m walking out of Miami Arena, and he\u2019s gonna cross paths with me. I don\u2019t even want to make eye contact with him. I put my head down and I step back and allow him to pass. And he grabs my shoulders and he turns me to him and he says, \u201cNow what are you gonna do with your offseason?\u201d I\u2019m stunned, and I said, \u201cI\u2019m actually gonna make a trip<\/a> to Napa.\u201d He goes, \u201cDoris, here\u2019s my secretary\u2019s email. You send her a note, tell her what you\u2019re doing.\u201d He sent me an email back with a list of places I should go. That captures Gregg Popovich more than those absolutely (chuckle) painful moments for the reporters on the sideline.<\/p>\n

Q: Former UConn women\u2019s coach Geno Auriemma.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Brilliant. One of the best I\u2019ve ever seen do it on any level.<\/p>\n

Q: First-overall Liberty draft pick Sabrina Ionescu.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I just love her passion and skill level and personality. She is fun to watch, effervescent, I think a great leader and really highly skilled.<\/p>\n

Q: Zion Williamson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Electric. Captivating. Delightful young man. Just incredible smile. Oh my God is that young man likeable. His upside is absolutely off the charts.<\/p>\n

Q: RJ Barrett.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The intensity of the media<\/a>, you\u2019ve got to be a certain temperament and maturity level to handle it, and that young kid, I am just blown away by that attribute.<\/p>\n

Q: Does Ja Morant remind you of former Providence point guard Doris Burke?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: (Laugh) Jeff Van Gundy likes to joke, \u201cYou\u2019re the only white point guard who couldn\u2019t shoot.\u201d I had incredible handle, great dribble-drive ability, I spent my life driving and getting and-1. I did not have the hops of Ja or the electric nature.<\/p>\n

Q: How good can Ja be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The thing I am most shocked by is he is fearless. And while he respects the elders of the game, he does not stand in awe. He relishes the opportunity to test himself against the best. That\u2019s the characteristic that you think can lead to greatness.<\/p>\n

Q: David Stern and Adam Silver.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The NBA is the single most progressive, inclusive, open-minded sports league in the country. And David Stern and Adam Silver\u2019s support of me speaks volumes. Because we\u2019re not gonna sit here and pretend that in meetings between the NBA and ESPN, or NBA and TNT, that they don\u2019t have some dialogue as to who\u2019s covering their sport.<\/p>\n

Q: What do you think of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving next season with the Nets?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: You have to have at least two to win a championship, so those are two great starting points. I can\u2019t separate Kevin Durant from his two MVP performances in The Finals.<\/p>\n

Q: Do you think it was smart for him to wait until next season to return?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I absolutely do. I also happ<\/a>ened to be in the building when he popped that Achilles. My heart broke for that young man.<\/p>\n

Q: What do you think of Kyrie not wanting to play in the bubble?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I do believe 100 percent that black lives matter and that the cause to achieve and pursue equality supersedes basketball. The other thing that supersedes basketball is their health. If they want to do this, and they believe it\u2019s more important than playing, I don\u2019t see how you can fault them. I think that is sound reasoning. Just as I wouldn\u2019t fault the players who want to go back and pursue a championship.<\/p>\n

Q: What are your thoughts on Knicks coaching candidate Tom Thibodeau?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The only thing I can think of when I see Tom is his work habits. They\u2019re legendary. He eats, sleeps and breathes basketball.<\/p>\n

Q: Another possible Knicks coaching candidate: Kenny Atkinson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Player development is first and foremost. What was achieved with [GM] Sean Marks and he in Brooklyn, when you had no picks and no players, to go find the value of players that they found and to develop that talent in a short window of time relatively speaking in the NBA when you\u2019re rebuilding into a playoff team, was nothing short of remarkable. Similar with him is work habits. The New York Knicks are gonna require work.<\/p>\n

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Doris Burke and Mike Breen<\/span>NBAE\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: What is your most memorable interaction with Kobe Bryant?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Did an interview during the run to his back-to-back titles with Pau [Gasol], Metta [World Peace], Lamar [Odom] \u2026 they were [my] first two Finals as a reporter. \u2026 [Bryant] was so exhausted after the game in the playoffs, we conducted the interview with him bent over. In order to get the mic near his mouth, I was forced to mimic him \u2014 he was totally spent!<\/p>\n

Q: Drake.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Major talent. When this whole thing transpired [Drake wearing a Doris Burke photo on his T-shirt and asked her to dinner], I happened to be at my daughter\u2019s apartment. The night it happened, I said, \u201cOh, that\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d And she goes, \u201cNo, no, no, no. I don\u2019t think you\u2019re comprehending how big a star this guy is, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: Who is your single favorite point guard?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Diana Taurasi [of the Phoenix Mercury]. She played with incredible joy, but she was one of the best pressure players I\u2019ve ever seen. No moment too big. In addition to being the best women\u2019s player I ever watched and called, she also happens to be one of the great teammates I ever saw.<\/p>\n

Q: LeBron James.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I just feel lucky to have witnessed one of the all-time greatest to ever play, and to have a front-row seat.<\/p>\n

Q: What is your most moving postgame interview?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I distinctly remember the title LeBron won in Cleveland [in 2016]. I am the mother of a son who is about to turn 26. So when LeBron broke down after winning that title for Cleveland, he dropped to the floor, and he is crying so hard that his shoulders are shaking. And watching that man experience that level of emotion, I got choked up. I got overwhelmed watching this man be overwhelmed by emotion. Nobody caught it except those who know me and know my voice.<\/p>\n