Source: Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty
The most progressive league in all of sports is moving forward once again.
The NBA has reportedly decided to forgo testing players for marijuana, beginning with the 2020-2021 season. The decision follows up the decision not to test players while in the NBA’s Orlando Bubble.
Commissioner Adam Silver previously spoke on allowing players to smoke during the season and called it a difficult issue.
“When we change our policy, we have to be really careful because we’re clearly sending a message to young people,” Silver previously said. “Just like with alcohol, you have to teach young people how to use a substance appropriately and responsibly, so it doesn’t overwhelm your life.”
While it is progressive– it’s also a safety precaution. The lack of testing in the bubble was to ensure as little player-to-player and player-to-personnel contact as possible.
He also explained that some players could be concerned with others consuming so much off the court –because it’s not a performance enhancer– but it also makes him wonder why a player would need to smoke so much.
“One of the things I’ve been talking more about in the past several years is mental wellness of our players,” Silver said. “Some guys are smoking pot in the same way some guys would take a drink. Just using it to calm down a little bit or using it to relax, no big deal. It’s no issue, which is why I think it’s been legalized in a lot of states.”
But either way, players who decide to indulge will surely be having a lot of fun this season. Of course, when Twitter got wind of the policy change, the jokes began to fly about some players that will likely roll-up. There’s Dion Waiters, who was previously punished for taking an edible on the team plane, and JR Smith… and no one seems to know why.
Check out some of the funniest reactions to the NBA changing their stance on weed in the gallery below.
