In another world—one where COVID-19 never existed, March Madness wasn’t canceled, and Greg Gumble’s soothing voice didn’t leave us in our time of need—this weekend would have been the start of the 2020 NBA Finals. Instead, we’re left with nothing but reruns on ESPN, deflated balls in our driveways, and a tentative promise that league play will resume in August at Disney World, possibly with piped-in video game crowd noise. (Wait, what?)
Adding to this painful fact is that, for the first time in a decade, this year’s Finals stage would have most likely featured a former Wildcat in a prominent role.