Dwight Howard refuses to wear a mask.
"I understand the whole 'wear a mask' and all that stuff, so nobody is not trying to do anything out of order. But, you know, again, I understand that there always has to be some type of controversy somewhere. And I'm not in no controversy. You know what I'm saying? I get it. It's clickbait."
This came after the NBA warned Howard again for not wearing a mask, as required and clearly outlined in the league's protocols for play in the bubble. Those things, from the rules to warning, are "facts," not "clickbait." Enough of those warnings and Howard could leave an already depleted contender without his services. And here's another warning, a friendly reminder of the obvious for someone who clearly needs it: This pandemic, and its fallout, are about more than just you and your misguided need to be mask free.
That's a sign of the benefits of utter caution, not proof everything is certain to be well. We know the virus is contagious in the extreme. We know preventing spread is critically important, particularly for the NBA's goal of salvaging what they can of this season. We know Florida, and the Orlando area, are rife with positive cases. We know Disney employees must -- and do -- come and go from the bubble to make it work. And we know for each team, the Lakers of course included, a single spreader among them could spell the end of their chances.
Let's get into some uncomfortable truths about Howard. He admitted this week to being part of the anti-vaccination crowd, with words that do not exactly strike confidence in his worldview on science and facts: "Do I believe in vaccinations? No, I don't. That's my personal opinion, but no, I don't."
Howard has told us about his lack of faith and belief in the science of COVID-19, and that raises more uncomfortable concerns. Because those who don't take this virus seriously are more likely to acquire it, and pass it on.