NBA: Smith Lauds Silver Leadership For Being First To Act On COVID-19 Pandemic

KEY POINTS

Smith praises Silver for being good leader
Silver was first to announce the suspension of games
Smith says Barkley doing fine after testing positive for COVID-19

The coronavirus issue continues to paralyze the world and the NBA was not spare from it. With a couple of Utah Jazz players testing positive to COVID-19, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was forced to do the inevitable and suspend games for the 30 days.

As most would expect, the decision did not initially sit well with NBA fans. But the reality of it all is that health and safety come first. The cases of COVID-19 are growing by the day and Silver needed to do something even if it was an unpopular one. In fact, other sports leagues followed as well, each revealing cases slowly creeping in.

For his part, Silver made a bold but necessary move. Now, former NBA player and sports analyst Kenny Smith praise the NBA commissioner for being the first major sports official to suspend the season, TMZ Sports reported.

"He understands the culture that we're in. He understands the world that we live in from human rights to human pandemics. He's always been ahead of the curve. We trust what he says because it's always clear," Smith said.

Currently back in Los Angeles with everything on hold, Smith lauded Silver for making the tough decision ahead of other sports leagues. However, Silver's task is far from over. His next move after the 30-day hiatus could very well decide the fate of the 2019-20 NBA season - a decision that many may approve or frown at. Regardless of what that may be, the NBA commissioner's decision will be for the good of all and not just him or the league.

Smith also gave an update on co-worker Charles Barkley who is on self-quarantine due to coronavirus fears. He says that the Round Mound is just fine right now. Barkley tested positive for the coronavirus and later on admitted that he was not feeling pretty well as of late, TMZ Sports said in another report.

Barkley was reportedly feeling under the weather after traveling from New York to Atlanta and this is why he chose to undergo a coronavirus test. And unfortunately, he tested positive for it. He now joins a growing list of personalities who are isolated with hopes that the pandemic is resolved soon.