NBA Players Take up Fishing in the Bubble Ahead of Return

NBA players are inside the Orlando bubble in preparation for the season restart. They are [...]

By John Newby

NBA players are inside the Orlando bubble in preparation for the season restart. They are searching for ways to pass the time, and a trio of stars have headed down to the water. They have spent a considerable amount of time fishing while remaining inside the approved areas.

Houston Rockets forward Robert Covington and guard Ben McLemore both went out on the water at the Walt Disney World Resort after arriving in the bubble. They spent time fishing alongside assistant athletic trainer Motoki Fujii. The trio caught three fish to start the day and showcased their hauls on social media. McLemore also tweeted a video showing the group relaxing on the party barge while heading to their fishing spot.

"Just being out there on the water, stuff like that is team bonding," Covington told reporters after the outing. "I like fishing a lot, it's a calming thing. You can have fun, go out, enjoy it. I'll be doing that a lot while I'm out here. ...I just want to keep doing things that spark my interest, and stay active outside of basketball."

In addition to the pair of Rockets players, Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas has enjoyed his time fishing in the bubble. He previously told team reporters that he would spend every night on the fishing docks while remaining in the bubble, and he followed through with his statement. The Grizzlies uploaded a video showing Valanciunas and teammate Justise Winslow down at the docks. The big center reeled in eight during the outing.

Valanciunas told reporters back in 2013 that he is a fishing enthusiast. He played for the Toronto Raptors at the time and was searching for spots to go ice fishing. Valanciunas later informed reporters that he had found a spot but returned home empty-handed. He said the fish weren't biting in the -25 degree Celcius weather. Although he did find more success during a 2019 trip to Norway, reeling in some massive hauls.

While the trio of NBA stars has enjoyed their time fishing, they will soon suit up for the first games of the season restart. The Memphis Grizzlies will face off with the Portland Trail Blazers on July 31 while the Houston Rockets will take on the Dallas Mavericks the same day. Both teams will take the court again on Aug. 2 as part of the continuing season.

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