Alvin Gentry: Not allowing older coaches on bench would be ‘unfair’
Alvin Gentry is opposed to the idea of older coaches not being allowed on the bench when the NBA season resumes in July.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on TNT Thursday that older coaches might not be allowed to be on the bench because the CDC classifies those 65 and over as more high risk from the coronavirus. Such a limitation would affect head coaches Gregg Popovich (71), Mike D’Antoni (69) and Gentry (65), and assistant coaches like Jeff Bzdelik (67) and Lionel Hollins (66).
Gentry told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that he does not feel older coaches should be singled out.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry on Adam Silver's remark on @NBAonTNT that "certain coaches" might not be on the bench when play resumes. "That doesn't make sense. How can I coach that way? " Gentry, who is 65, says he doesn't think older coaches "should be singled out."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 5, 2020
Gentry also called the possible rule “unfair.”
Alvin Gentry: “At the end of the day, they're the league. They're going to make the choice. I think it's unfair if that's what they're doing. I understand the risk that I'm taking if I do get it. But hell, I want to be with my team and do my job. That's what they hired me for."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 5, 2020
The NBA understandably wants to protect the health and safety of everyone associated with the league. Gentry understandably does not want to be limited by the league in his ability to execute his job.
Perhaps the solution is having coaches sign legal waivers stating that they accept the health risk that comes from doing their job from the bench. In his statement, Gentry said he was comfortable with the risk.
