BY DAVID THORPE

NBA teams have always depended on trust. If LeBron’s going to win a title, he needs to trust that his teammates will work hard, eat right, set picks, learn plays—ultimately do what’s best for the team, even when nobody's looking. Now, as twenty-two teams launch off on an unprecedented journey to play in a bubble, that trust extends to keeping each other alive. In this brave new world, anyone who isn’t taking coronavirus restrictions seriously can threaten the health, well-being, and even lives of everyone else. 

Right now, manufacturing trust must be priority number one. There is not a moment to waste.

When Henry Abbott and I spoke about the company we hoped to build once we launched TrueHoop, Henry said the words “trust” and “safety” more than any others. Helping writers feel confident and safe is a big step towards getting them to do their best work. The same applies to NBA players.