The WNBA and NBA are struggling to withhold payment from Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne and Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, as reported by ESPN (Delle Donne link and Oladipo link). Both players have announced that they do not intend to play in the upcoming summer seasons of their leagues.
Unlike other players who have been excluded without incident, Delle Donne and Oladipo present extenuating circumstances that have caught the attention of NBA and WNBA management.
Delle Donne and Lyme disease
Delle Donne, the reigning WNBA MVP, has requested a seasonal medical excuse based on the advice of her personal physician. In a statement, Delle Donne wrote:
“I love my team, and we had an amazing season last year, and I want to play! But the question is whether or not the WNBA bubble is safe for me. My personal physician who has treated me for Lyme disease for years advised me that I am at high risk of contracting and having complications from COVID-19. “
But the NBA panel of doctors apparently disagrees. While the league has not officially announced an explanation for its decision, it may be related to Lyme disease not being listed by the CDC as an underlying condition that exacerbates the risk of COVID-19.
Oladipo recover from quadruple tendon rupture
Unlike Delle Donne, Oladipo’s concerns are not related to COVID-19: he is in the Orlando “bubble” and has been practicing with the team without restrictions. However, the Masked Singer alumnus told Athletic that he is still recovering after breaking his quadriceps tendon on January 23, 2019. He fears that the long rest between games could increase the risk of tissue injury. soft that would delay his recovery. Oladipo played in 13 games earlier this season, but he seemed rusty, presenting low career statistics across the board.
ESPN reports that the NBA plans to withhold Oladipo’s remaining $ 3 million salary to avoid setting a precedent that healthy players could simply come out of the bubble without consequences. By contrast, the Pacers have no trouble paying Oladipo’s salary, regardless of whether he plays or not.
Is this league battle worth fighting?
Leagues run the risk of opening several proverbial cans of worms with their responses to Delle Donne and Oladipo.
In Delle Donne’s case, while the medical community has struggled to understand or even classify chronic Lyme disease (link to an excellent podcast summarizing the history and debates about Lyme disease), it is clear that Delle Donne believes You are at higher risk for Complications related to COVID-19. Given that the possible long-term effects of the new coronavirus are still unknown, and that doubting the self-reports of those with chronic invisible diseases can have negative consequences (example), it seems that the NBA does not care and / or is unethical Ignore Delle Donne’s request.
Similarly, Oladipo is not the first player in recent years to take an extremely cautious approach to injury recovery. So far, the league has not penalized players for extending recoveries under normal circumstances: it feels at least somewhat insidious that they would choose a global pandemic as the time to crack down on cargo management. Especially since Oladipo’s team has publicly supported his decision and is willing to pay him.
