Playing for the NBA has its perks. For the Miami Heat, they get the pleasure of staying on the NBA campus at the Walt Disney World resort, along with each of the 22 teams in the restart. Every team has its own separate lounge on the NBA campus at the Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. For the Heat, their team room comes with its own amenities and way of living.
With new regulations amid a pandemic, it is slightly different from the team’s regular road routine. Their team room serves many purposes, including a meal room and a meeting room to help keep their contact with others to a minimum. However, the NBA campus also allows them to stretch their legs by providing players with a walking path as well as restaurants with indoor or outdoor dining that uphold social distancing guidelines.
Many players like to add a touch of home to their team room with their “Family Wall,” which includes photos of players and staff with their families. They also have a wall of photos dedicated to the team’s season highlights. Off the court, the Heat players use this room as a safe haven and place for them to have a home away from home.
The NBA campus also offers excellent amenities such as golf at Disney’s courses, bowling, and even fishing. There is also a players-only lounge with video games, table tennis, pool tables, games like cornhole, and much more. Players even have access to a barbershop that has six barbers exclusive to the NBA bubble. If all goes well, players may get to gain access to after-hour access to Disney theme parks.
For players and staff in the bubble of the NBA campus, life is pretty good. This makes it pretty easy to follow the rules and remain within the campus all times until the end of their season to protect against the potential spread of COVID-19. There are some exceptions to remaining on campus; however, if a player leaves without approval, they’ll have to spend at least ten quarantine days on campus.
Although it has been a very different experience from previous seasons, the Miami Heat is enjoying their time on the NBA campus and continue to make it their home away from home.