As the Milwaukee Bucks opened up about their first couple of days at Walt Disney World, there was perspective and focus rather than complaints.
The past few days since NBA teams have started to arrive at their hotels in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble have largely been dominated by social media discussion of the size of the rooms and the quality of the food.
Given just what the NBA is trying to pull off against the backdrop of a continuing surge in coronavirus cases, there was always minimal chance that everything would live up exactly to the kind of 5-star luxury that pro athletes may be more generally accustomed to when they travel to games.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
Still, it’s easy for any sensible person to see that the players find themselves very far away from squalor as they begin their efforts to restart the season. Given the larger issues at hand around the world right now, it seems safe to say most players have recognized that they have it pretty good considering the situation everyone is working through.
That was certainly the message that came across as the Milwaukee Bucks held their first practice in Orlando on Saturday afternoon, and subsequently shared their thoughts between video interviews with media and video recorded for the Bucks’ own social media channels.
Considering the well-documented poverty he overcame during his time in Greece, Giannis Antetokounmpo was quick to offer some real perspective when it came to the players’ accommodation when speaking for the Bucks.com video.
"“My apartment in Greece before I came to the NBA was smaller than that.”"
Similarly, Bucks reporter Zora Stephenson relayed Sterling Brown’s take on the campus environment, with the 25-year-old very much retaining perspective at a time when racial inequality, the ongoing pandemic, and mass unemployment stand as pressing and significant issues.
"“We could be in way worse situations…I’m not one here to complain about nothing that’s going on. I’m here to play basketball, handle my business, and get back to my family.”"
More than anything else, there seems to be a sense of gratitude among Milwaukee players at the opportunity to get back to playing and the chance to finish off their championship pursuit.
That certainly seemed to be the line taken by Wesley Matthews, according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"“It’s been a whirlwind, but we’re blessed to be down here, we’re blessed to be able to be in this situation to fulfill what we started this season out on which is to try to win a championship.”"
Given the Bucks would seem likely to be set for a particularly lengthy stay in Orlando in the months ahead, it certainly wouldn’t have served them well to dwell on the negatives of their situation to begin with. Based on the quotes coming out of the bubble on Saturday, though, the Bucks are very much looking on the bright side so far.