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#3. Kobe Bryant's demise
LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant died in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020. Kobe had given his heart and soul to the NBA over the past 2 decades and was loved by everyone across the league.
While stars like LeBron James played against him in the past decade, LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had played the role of a mentor to many other youngsters in the league. Losing the 41-year-old legend was extremely hard for the LA Lakers, and they played through the pain until the end of the season.
#2. Social issues in the United States
Amidst the pandemic, the country witnessed a set of horrific deaths that were caused by police brutality and systemic racism. Following George Floyd's death back in May, NBA players took to the streets to protest and raise their voice against these violent acts by the police.
Over 74% of the players in the NBA are black and had to go fight against such racial injustices even in their personal lives. When the games were restarted in July, the NBA made it a priority to use it as a platform to advocate social equality and stressed the importance of voting in the upcoming elections. It took immense mental fortitude for the players to focus on basketball amidst all the chaos around them.
#1. The NBA bubble
As much as the Orlando Bubble was a blessing for the fans watching at home, it had its own set of challenges for the players in it. For close to 90 days, the LA Lakers and Miami Heat players weren't allowed to step outside or meet their families and friends outside the bubble. This was the longest duration any players had stayed away from their loved ones.
They had to make do with the food and practice facilities available in the bubble and played games more regularly compared to previous years. Stars like Paul George even spoke about facing mental health issues because of being isolated in the same place. For stars who were used to living lavish lifestyles in the past, being isolated in a single place to play basketball was one of the biggest obstacles to overcome in 2020.
Guess the Lakers players!
