As part of the extensive 113-page memo released by the NBPA to its players, detailing what to expect when they arrive at the Disney World campus, the Player’s union detailed that every player will have the option to wear a ring that, according to its makers, could help detect the presence of coronavirus, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
– Players will also have the option of wearing an Oura smart ring that may help with the early detection of the coronavirus and will track temperature, respiratory and heart rate and other measures.
There are some definite ethical quandaries at play here. For NBA players in 2020, it’s not that different from what they are asked to do during any other season. Basically, every team in the league has its players have some kind of wearable technology, such as Catapult, while they practice that measures heart-rate and other things for teams to keep a preventative eye on player’s health. But having a wearable on at practice versus wearing one at all times is a completely different ballgame.
A recent study by the West Virginia University said the device, which is a big hit with people who can afford it like Prince Harry or Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, can report the presence of the virus early with 95% accuracy. While it’s only a preliminary study, there aren’t many other studies. But another important point to consider is that individual teams will not be privy to this information, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Some players and agents would likely fear such sensitive info could be used against them in future negotiations.
Team staff will *not* have any access to player data from the wearable ring (should any player actually choose to wear it) aside from instances in which the "illness probability score" triggers a further medical review. https://t.co/q7nk1cBzIa
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 17, 2020
Given the nature of the pandemic, particularly with rising cases in the state of Florida, that surrounds the Disney World Campus, and the enormous costs if the league is unable to finish the league as planned, having a preventative measure that helps detect the virus is going to be crucial in helping the league plug some of the gaps in their testing procedure, which will reportedly be every other day. Union Executive Director Michele Roberts believes a positive test for players is inevitable, so they may as well have every possible way of detecting it at their disposal.
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