#BCMBB In The Bubble: Robinson, Bubes Share Their Stories
July 30, 2020 | Men's Basketball
BCEagles.com caught up with Jerome Robinson and Nathan Bubes on life in the NBA amidst a global pandemic
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Tonight, the NBA unpresses the pause button after a 141-day hiatus due to the global pandemic. BCEagles.com caught up with two recent Boston College men's basketball alums - Jerome Robinson and Nathan Bubes - to take a look at life inside "the bubble" and their respective experiences in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the league's return to action.
For many, this year has been a seemingly non-stop series of twists, turns, and corkscrew spins like a seven-month long roller coaster. Jerome Robinson's 2020 ride began around the trade deadline in the NBA on February 6, when it was announced that he was dealt from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Washington Wizards.
"The adjustment was quick," the former Eagles All-American recalled. "I talked with Washington and they told me 'be ready to play tomorrow.' I got on a red-eye from L.A. and headed east. It was crazy, but you have to adjust and be ready to go."
With his new squad, Robinson saw action in 13 games for the Wizards, averaging 6.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He was +23 in 14 minutes of play in a 122-115 win at home over the New York Knicks on March 10.  Next on the schedule for Robinson and the Wizards - a trip back to his second home town: Boston.
But that trip never happened. The next night, the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder saw their game postponed after it was announced that Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19. Thirty minutes later, the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings game was postponed as well and the NBA's season was on the brink.
"Leading up to this, the more you were reading about what was starting to happen around the country, I thought it could get out of hand," Robinson said. "I was sitting in my kitchen when the Rudy Gobert news broke - we hadn't left for Boston yet - and then the league had shut everything down.
"No one knew what to think at first - was it going to be two weeks and then we'd get back to it? Obviously we didn't."
Nathan Bubes was in Sacramento on March 11, serving in his first season as assistant video coordinator with the New Orleans Pelicans.
"We had gotten to Sacramento on Sunday (March 8) - it was our longest stretch without games - and you could sense things were starting to change," Bubes said. "Golden State had announced that week that they were going to play without fans. As we got closer and closer to tipoff, we heard rumors and then you saw it happening.
"We had to reroute our flight home and landed in New Orleans around 4 a.m.," Bubes added. "It was a weird feeling - it felt like the end of the season. The next two weeks came and went and you knew it was going to be a while. But now it feels like a new season, even thought it is the same season."
***
With the league in shutdown mode, both Robinson and Bubes put in their daily work with the hopes of a return to team facilities. Â
"I ended up going back to Garner, N.C. for about a month with my family and it was great being with them. We had zoom workouts everyday while we were in quarantine," said Robinson. "I put my work in outside at the park, in the garage, or in the house,"
Bubes also stayed active. "Things slowed down from a games perspective, but the coaches still needed film. We treated it like a collection period, recapping the season, and getting prepared for a restart - because none of us knew how that would look."'
On June 4, the NBA Board of Governors announced the plan to restart the season at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. A total of 22 teams are now encamped in the resort in what is known as "the bubble." The Happiest Place on Earth is home to the world's longest and largest MTE. All amidst a global pandemic.
Players, coaching staff, and personnel have to follow strict guidelines within the bubble in order to maintain the safest and healthiest environment possible. Team travel parties - limited to 37 - are individually quarantined in their hotel rooms upon arrival and were not released until two consecutive days of negative coronavirus tests. The knocks on the hotel room door meant either food delivery or a date with some cotton swabs.
"When we got here, it was a little tough, but now that everyone has been tested and can get out a bit, it has been great," Robinson detailed. "Since teams have played, we can intermingle. Before that, you couldn't leave the lined area around your hotel otherwise it meant a 10-day quarantine."
"We had all been stuck at home for three months, so for me, it was a different room for a few days," Bubes added. "We still had our team zoom calls, meetings, and work to get done - business as usual, except we were all down the hall from each other."
With the smaller travel party size, teams have become more resourceful. The term "other duties as assigned" has taken on new meaning. Â
"We all have to chip in - nothing is below you," Bubes explained. "Everybody here has been great and they all want to help the players - I'm very lucky to be a part of this organization."
Robinson's head coach - former NBA point guard Scott Brooks - has shown off his passing skills.
"Coach has jumped into some of the drills and he'll throw some crazy behind the back/behind the head passes - it's really impressive. But everyone - all the coaches help out, our GM Tommy Sheppard is always carrying a bag - all of us need to chip in to get where we want to go - through the seeding games and into the playoffs."
During some of the downtime, Robinson has taken to one of his favorite hobbies - fishing. And catching up with other players and staff.
"You see guys everywhere, the bubble has a college or AAU feel to it," said Robinson. "You see guys everywhere and it's made for some good conversations. I've gotten to see Nate a few times down here, but he's pretty busy,"
The two have crossed paths previously during their NBA travels - Bubes spent the 2018-19 season working with the Los Angeles Lakers. Last year in L.A., the two former Eagles got together to watch a Boston College game on TV.
"I love being able to watch BC games, especially when there's no overlap with our games," Bubes said. "I live and die by it."
The Pelicans take on Utah tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET, while Washington begins its renewed season on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET against Phoenix.
For many, this year has been a seemingly non-stop series of twists, turns, and corkscrew spins like a seven-month long roller coaster. Jerome Robinson's 2020 ride began around the trade deadline in the NBA on February 6, when it was announced that he was dealt from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Washington Wizards.
"The adjustment was quick," the former Eagles All-American recalled. "I talked with Washington and they told me 'be ready to play tomorrow.' I got on a red-eye from L.A. and headed east. It was crazy, but you have to adjust and be ready to go."
With his new squad, Robinson saw action in 13 games for the Wizards, averaging 6.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He was +23 in 14 minutes of play in a 122-115 win at home over the New York Knicks on March 10.  Next on the schedule for Robinson and the Wizards - a trip back to his second home town: Boston.
But that trip never happened. The next night, the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder saw their game postponed after it was announced that Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19. Thirty minutes later, the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings game was postponed as well and the NBA's season was on the brink.
"Leading up to this, the more you were reading about what was starting to happen around the country, I thought it could get out of hand," Robinson said. "I was sitting in my kitchen when the Rudy Gobert news broke - we hadn't left for Boston yet - and then the league had shut everything down.
"No one knew what to think at first - was it going to be two weeks and then we'd get back to it? Obviously we didn't."
Nathan Bubes was in Sacramento on March 11, serving in his first season as assistant video coordinator with the New Orleans Pelicans.
"We had gotten to Sacramento on Sunday (March 8) - it was our longest stretch without games - and you could sense things were starting to change," Bubes said. "Golden State had announced that week that they were going to play without fans. As we got closer and closer to tipoff, we heard rumors and then you saw it happening.
"We had to reroute our flight home and landed in New Orleans around 4 a.m.," Bubes added. "It was a weird feeling - it felt like the end of the season. The next two weeks came and went and you knew it was going to be a while. But now it feels like a new season, even thought it is the same season."
***
With the league in shutdown mode, both Robinson and Bubes put in their daily work with the hopes of a return to team facilities. Â
"I ended up going back to Garner, N.C. for about a month with my family and it was great being with them. We had zoom workouts everyday while we were in quarantine," said Robinson. "I put my work in outside at the park, in the garage, or in the house,"
Bubes also stayed active. "Things slowed down from a games perspective, but the coaches still needed film. We treated it like a collection period, recapping the season, and getting prepared for a restart - because none of us knew how that would look."'
On June 4, the NBA Board of Governors announced the plan to restart the season at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. A total of 22 teams are now encamped in the resort in what is known as "the bubble." The Happiest Place on Earth is home to the world's longest and largest MTE. All amidst a global pandemic.
Players, coaching staff, and personnel have to follow strict guidelines within the bubble in order to maintain the safest and healthiest environment possible. Team travel parties - limited to 37 - are individually quarantined in their hotel rooms upon arrival and were not released until two consecutive days of negative coronavirus tests. The knocks on the hotel room door meant either food delivery or a date with some cotton swabs.
"When we got here, it was a little tough, but now that everyone has been tested and can get out a bit, it has been great," Robinson detailed. "Since teams have played, we can intermingle. Before that, you couldn't leave the lined area around your hotel otherwise it meant a 10-day quarantine."
"We had all been stuck at home for three months, so for me, it was a different room for a few days," Bubes added. "We still had our team zoom calls, meetings, and work to get done - business as usual, except we were all down the hall from each other."
With the smaller travel party size, teams have become more resourceful. The term "other duties as assigned" has taken on new meaning. Â
"We all have to chip in - nothing is below you," Bubes explained. "Everybody here has been great and they all want to help the players - I'm very lucky to be a part of this organization."
Robinson's head coach - former NBA point guard Scott Brooks - has shown off his passing skills.
"Coach has jumped into some of the drills and he'll throw some crazy behind the back/behind the head passes - it's really impressive. But everyone - all the coaches help out, our GM Tommy Sheppard is always carrying a bag - all of us need to chip in to get where we want to go - through the seeding games and into the playoffs."
During some of the downtime, Robinson has taken to one of his favorite hobbies - fishing. And catching up with other players and staff.
"You see guys everywhere, the bubble has a college or AAU feel to it," said Robinson. "You see guys everywhere and it's made for some good conversations. I've gotten to see Nate a few times down here, but he's pretty busy,"
The two have crossed paths previously during their NBA travels - Bubes spent the 2018-19 season working with the Los Angeles Lakers. Last year in L.A., the two former Eagles got together to watch a Boston College game on TV.
"I love being able to watch BC games, especially when there's no overlap with our games," Bubes said. "I live and die by it."
The Pelicans take on Utah tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET, while Washington begins its renewed season on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET against Phoenix.
Players Mentioned
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