The Duke basketball program could possibly be enjoying within the Champions Traditional elsewhere over COVID-19 issues.
Simply once you thought the Duke non-conference schedule was set, a wrench will get thrown into all plans.
Fortunately for the Blue Devils, Duke is barely scheduled to play in a single sport within the Orlando bubble, however in line with CBS Sports activities school basketball reporter Matt Norlander, the bubble won’t be a viable idea for a lot of applications for an excessive amount of longer.
Norlander cites many issues over COVID-19 protocols, particularly testing and potential quarantine restrictions, as the main roadblocks in getting the groups all the way down to Disney.
Nevertheless, the Champions Traditional, which is comprised of Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Kansas, appears to be unfazed by these latest developments.
Whereas the Champions Traditional won’t happen in Orlando, it could possibly be on the transfer for an additional venue, because the occasion was initially scheduled for the United Heart in Chicago, in a pre-COVID world.
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Duke is scheduled to play Michigan State within the Champions Traditional on December 1.
Why shifting or opting out of the Champions Traditional is sensible for Duke basketball.
Director of Basketball Operations Nolan Smith joined the latest episode of ‘Duke Twitter Stay‘ and defined the reasoning for why the Blue Devils opted out of the ‘Battle 4 Atlantis’, now moved to South Dakota, was over COVID-19 issues.
Smith did say that this system needs to verify its gamers are wholesome, however the primary purpose for pulling out of the match and internet hosting its personal occasion in Durham was the well being of its 73-year outdated head coach.
Mike Krzyzewski, who we have no idea if he has any preexisting circumstances, is already at the next danger for a severe sickness if contracting the coronavirus due to his age.
If Krzyzewski, Duke, or anybody related to the Blue Devils’ program thinks that touring to a location may doubtlessly put the Corridor of Famer in danger for getting the virus, you may ensure that the staff shall be pulling out of stated sport or occasion.
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Whereas will probably be a precedence for everybody that the Champions Traditional will get performed this season, the well being and security of all these concerned is way more necessary than enjoying a basketball sport.