Just weeks away from tipoff, it isn't just fans who are ecstatic about the return of NBA action; league personnel, Hall of Famers, and current players are all anticipating the rebooted season, according to veteran NBA photographer, Andrew D. Bernstein.

"I'm itching to get back to work," he told Cheddar on Monday. "I haven't taken a picture since March 11th."

In partnership with the Los Angeles Times, Bernstein, a photographer covering the NBA for nearly 40 years, plans to document the return of the season amid the coronavirus pandemic with a spinoff of the Legends of Sport podcast titled, Legends of Sport: Restarting the Clock.

"It'll be a great kind of melding of today and yesterday," Bernstein noted. "We're going to have a mix of participants: coaches, NBA types, legends talking about their memories from years past."

With the coronavirus being the focal point of the return to gameplay, Bernstein is also tasked with detailing the reactions to sweeping calls for change as the NBA greenlights current players to make social justice statements.

"It's a huge story and it's vital that we cover that and the fact that the NBA provides this tremendous platform for players," he said.

As the league plans its return amid the surging number of coronavirus cases in Florida, Bernstein said his only major concern is actually making it to the "Bubble" in Orlando, the nickname for the resorts and Disney facilities that house players and staff and will host the actual games. 

"The safety of the players and the participants, all of us staff, is of the utmost importance to the NBA, so I have complete and total trust in that," the photographer stated. "My biggest worry, quite honestly, is just getting there. Going on a commercial flight, which I haven't done since the pandemic started."

Share:
More In Sports
NFL Suspends Atlanta Falcons' Calvin Ridley for 2022 Season for Betting on Games
One NFL player got caught gambling on his own team, and now it's going to cost him. The NFL announced Monday that Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley will be suspended for at least the entire 2022 season. The league said Ridley bet on NFL games during a five-day period last November. Frank Shwab, NFL and Betting Reporter at Yahoo Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
OneOf Looks for Slam Dunk With Duke Basketball NFT Offerings
NFT platform OneOf has partnered with Duke University's athletic program to create a special men's basketball NFT collection ahead of Mike Krzyzewski's final home game as Duke head coach this Saturday. Matt Marino, VP of Sports & Lifestyle at OneOf, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he takes viewers through the offerings available for collectors and his company's other pursuits in the sports collectibles space.
Major League Bummer: MLB Lockout Continues
Major League Baseball has officially canceled opening day after no deal was reached between the league and its players before Tuesday's deadline. The first two series of the 2022 season were set to begin on March 31, but the players rejected the owners' 'best offer.' David Salituro, sports writer for Fansided, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
MLB Cancels Games as Players, Owners Fail to End Lockout
It has now been two days since Major League Baseball moved to cancel opening day games for the upcoming season. The announcement from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred came during the league's ongoing work stoppage, just the ninth in MLB history. Owners voted unanimously on December 2, 2021 to enact a lockout after the collective bargaining agreement between the league and players expired. On March 1, 2022, following over a week of daily negotiations between the two sides, and three months of on and off negotiations, the league officially canceled the first two series of the regular season. Gabe Lacques, MLB reporter and baseball editor for USA Today Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Most Lucrative NBA Player Props
Joe Ceraulo, Host of Pregame's NBA betting show and "Ceraulo Sports Talk", joins Cheddar Bets to share his favorite player props this season and to try his hand at topping the Pick 6 leaderboard. Sponsored by BetMGM
Locks in the NBA and NCAA Tonight
BetMGM Tonight host Trysta Krick joins Cheddar Bets to share what she's shying away from and hammering on tonight's slate before giving her Lock of the Night. Sponsored by BetMGM
Load More