NBA Adopting New Rules Regarding COVID-19 & Mask-Wearing Policies

The NBA is adopting new rules regarding COVID-19, including a tougher policy regarding masks. On Monday, the league told teams that players on active rosters would have to wear face coverings while they are in bench areas until they enter games.

The memo containing this announcement was obtained by The Associated Press. It was released on the same day that Brooklyn Nets All-Star forward Kevin Durant was out of Tuesday’s game against the Jazz in accordance with the NBA’s coronavirus protocols.

The new rules that went into place on Tuesday are the latest update of a plan that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are continually evaluating, especially in the recent rise of coronavirus cases. When players are working with trainers or therapists away from team facilities, they are reminded to wear masks and take all coronavirus precautions possible.

All of the rules apart of this plan include: Players who are dressed for games and eligible to participate must wear a facemask until they enter the game, all players and coaches must wear face masks when outside the team environment if they are around other players and coaches and players must report all of the names of private trainers, therapists, chiropractors and other specialists they work with outside of team facilities.

Also, a player who comes out of a game is not required to put on a mask, but it is now strongly recommended that they do when entering bench areas. The rules reset at halftime, which means players who are not in the game at the start of the third quarter need to wear a mask until going into the game.

Inactive players have been required to wear masks for the duration of the game, which is a rule that has remained unchanged. Coaches being mandated to wear masks while on the sidelines is another rule that remains in place. The NBA also told teams that it had increased the maximum travel party size by one to 46 people, which is a change being made to add a staffer to meet contract tracing requirements on team road trips.