The Los Angeles Clippers television announcers had a moment on Monday night, Dec. 27, during the Clippers game against the Brooklyn Nets.
In the second quarter after Nets guard Langston Galloway made a three, the broadcast team of Brian Sieman and Jim Jackson went silent, as they couldn’t identify Galloway. After a few seconds they found his name amid laughter at the situation.
Galloway didn’t find it funny and tweeted out a retort.
I’m Gone Make Them Remember Me! Stay Uncomfortable https://t.co/0TeDuSvJxt
— Langston Galloway (@LangGalloway10) December 28, 2021
To be fair to Sieman and Jackson, the surge of positive COVID-19 players has wreaked havoc on team rosters. Two huundred total NBA players have entered health and safety protocols this season, 187 in December alone.
541 NBA players have played in at least one game this season, setting a record for the most in a season ever.
Teams are signing any available healthy live bodies they can find in the G League or overseas, under the hardship exemption.
So we can cut the broadcast crew a little slack …
But come on, man. From their courtside view they can read the backs of jerseys. They could’ve just said three by Galloway, right? Plus, Jim is a former player!
Ok, maybe they were on the opposite side and couldn’t see his jersey depending on the direction her turned?
But broadcast crews are given an updated roster prior to the game, usually a few hours before tip. They surely had time to familiarize themselves with names they didn’t know. Plus Galloway isn’t exactly a no-name.
He has appeared in 445 career games (62 starts) across seven seasons with the Phoenix Suns (2020-21), Detroit Pistons (2017-20), Sacramento Kings (2017), New Orleans Pelicans (2016-17) and New York Knicks (2014-16), recording averages of 8.2 points on 39.8 percent shooting from the field, 37.0 percent shooting from 3-point range and 81.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.9 minutes per contest.
At the end of his first season with the Knicks, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, becoming the first undrafted player in Knicks history to make an NBA All-Rookie team.
Galloway saw action in 40 games last season with the NBA Finals-bound Suns, averaging 4.8 points on 44.9 percent shooting from the field, 42.4 percent shooting from three-point range and 95.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line and 1.1 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game.
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Maybe Galloway was a little too miffed and went slightly overboard with the quote tweet. But for guys like him who are getting an opportunity to play meaningful minutes due to COVID, this is the mindset they need to have.
The chances Galloway or any of these hardship signings turn into long-term situations are slim. But there is always a chance.
What we do know is a season amidst an ongoing pandemic, coupled with the condensed schedule of the last 21 months, means anything can happen. If you get minutes you’ve got to make the most out of the situation and make it difficult for the team to get rid of you.
So far the 30-year-old Galloway is getting about 15 minutes of action a game and the results have been mixed. Still, the Nets signed him to a second two-day contract.
However, with the news that Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and LaMarcus Aldridge have cleared health and safety protocols those minutes will likely get shrunk.
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