The coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, JB Bickerstaff revealed this Wednesday that he received threats by phone from gamblersone more example of the concern of some voices within the league about the NBA’s increasingly closer relationship with sports betting.
“Some of those sports bettors got my phone number and they sent me crazy text messages about where I live and my kids and all that. This is a dangerous game and it is a fine line we are walking, without a doubt,” Bickerstaff warned in a press conference before the game between the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.
“It brings extra pressure and a distraction to the sport which can be difficult for players, coaches, referees and everyone involved. And I think we have to be very careful with how close we let this sport be and with everyone’s safety. Many times people who gamble, that money pays their electricity bill or their rent and the emotions come from that. “So I think we are walking a very fine line and we have to be extremely careful protecting everyone,” he added.
In addition, the coach said he understood “the business side” of sports betting for the NBA, but assured that in his opinion “it has gone too far.”
The betting case continues to generate debate in the NBA
These statements from Bickerstaff came just one day after Tyrese Haliburton, leader of the Indiana Pacers and one of the players with the most present and future in the NBA, will also talk about sports betting.
“Not everyone cares about how we feel,” Haliburton said to a question about what his process of seeing a sports psychologist had been like.
“For half the world, I just help them make money on DraftKings or whatever. I’m like props, you know what I mean? That’s what most of my social media consists of,” she added.
Also this Tuesday, the NBA and Sportradar announced in a statement that NBA League Pass, the league’s streaming platformwill include options to bet live while watching the matches.
According to Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA executive vice president of media and gaming, This option is “consistent with the NBA’s vision of creating hyper-personalized and tailored viewing experiences.”
The NBA has become increasingly closer to sports betting in recent years, a huge market in the US that continues to grow.
But this approach has also sparked criticism about how it can harm the league in terms of image or purity of the competition, among many other aspects.
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