Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal said he hasn’t decided whether he will play in the season restart in Orlando.
Beal reportedly isn’t “swayed one way or another,” according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
Beal said he is still working out every day in preparation to go, but is also talking to the medical staff to determine if it’s worth playing.
On a Zoom conference call, Beal clarified that his decision does not have to do with social justice.
“We stopped playing basketball because of COVID. We didn’t stop because of social injustice,” Beal said via Fred Katz of The Athletic. “And I feel like we still can raise awareness by playing basketball … But I get it from both sides of those who think it’s a distraction. I don’t think it is.”
Beal wants to play, but remains unsure due to the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19.
“It’s tough … We wanna be safe but wanna come back and hoop,” Beal said. “We wanna make money but wanna make a statement. There’s so much we’re trying to grab with basketball … It’s tough, man. We signed up to hoop. We signed up to be away from our families. That’s what comes with it … We see the rises, we see the guys on different teams, different sports, getting diagnosed with COVID. It’s a little scary.”
The Wizards already have one of the toughest schedules among the 22 teams heading to Orlando and it would be even tougher if Beal were to opt out of playing.
Beal, who recently turned 28, is averaging 30.5 points (career-high), 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists (career-high) per game.
