(by Steve Hopkins)

When the NBA restarts the professional basketball season on July 30, it will be under strict lockdown rules that are designed to keep the players, staff, and families separated and safe.  The protected area is being called the NBA’s “bubble”.  The NBA released over a 100 page set of health protocols for NBA players and staff – and table tennis is featured prominently.

Since being cordoned off in the “bubble” on July 7, videos have been published showing players enjoying table tennis as a part of their relaxation. Donovan Mitchell posted on Saturday about an artistic paddle in the NBA lounges with a social justice theme in honor of  US Representative and and Civil Rights leader John Lewis (who passed away this week).

Among the videos that have made it to social media, are two Orlando Magic players (its tough to tell in masks, but perhaps Aaron Gordon and DJ Augustin), and 76ers Furkan Kormaz and Matisse Thybulle,

And there were several tweets about San Antonio’s Derrick White saying in an interview that “we have a ping pong tournament tomorrow, that’s my main focus… after this practice of course”  Incidentally, the San Antonia Spurs ping pong tournament was won this morning by Kelly Forbes, their Athletic Development Coach.  *The photo below is of Forbes holding the spray can of Lysol that was given to him as a prize.

Perhaps the most watched ping pong video thus far is the one posted by Utah Jazz point guard Donovan Mitchell which showed off his skills (and a very nice forehand smash) against Small Forward Royce O’Neale.  Almost 300,000 people have watched the video – Donovan’s description is “Best ping pong player in the bubble”.

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You can watch the full video here on Twitter.

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