The NBA is expected to shell out about $150 million in order to operate its Disney campus, complete its 2019-20 season and crown an NBA Champion this year, and there are plenty of people who are responsible for it all coming to fruition.
One of the main parties is Chris Paul, who admirably led the NBA Players Association throughout its negotiations with the league’s owners and in the expression of its interests and concerns during the negotiation between the parties and the owners of Walt Disney World.
Danilo Gallinari, one of Paul’s teammates who will head to Orlando with him when the Thunder depart for the resumption on July 8, addressed reporters on July 3 and waxed poetic about Paul and his leadership.
We already knew that the veteran point guard was an excellent leader of men on the basketball court, but there’s no doubt that his abilities extend beyond the hardwood, as well.
“He’s not just a great leader for us on the court, but for the whole NBA and for the Players Association,” Gallinari said of the 35-year-old President of the NBA Players Association.
“He can say something or be a leader in any of the problems or situations that we’ve been experiencing in the last few months.”
Gallinari, whose home country of Italy suffered catastrophic losses from COVID-19, has emerged as a voice of authority and leadership for the relatively young Thunder club. Even he is inspired by Paul.
“I’m glad that he’s our president for the players,” Gallinari said. “He’s been doing so much work, it’s honestly amazing.”
Gallinari’s comments were shared with Thunder reporters via Zoom video conference on July 3 and were distributed by the Thunder via Twitter.
Sometimes, the teams that are the most unified are the ones that end up pulling off the biggest surprises. The Thunder check that box. Often, a team’s health comes into play, as well, and they’re one of the league’s fortunate teams that have not had a single player test positive for COVID-19.
With Paul leading the Thunder both on and off the court, the sky would appear to be the limit.