Barcelona have not been contacted by Mike Tyson's cannabis company with regards to buying the naming rights to Camp Nou, a source close to the process has told ESPN.

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Barca announced last week they would sell the rights to their stadium for the 2020-21 season in an effort to raise money for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

A source told ESPN that the club are open to offers from anyone, although they stressed that interested parties must be "serious" companies or brands.

Tyson's business partner Alki David told the BBC over the weekend that rebranding Camp Nou as the Swissx Stadium, after the duo's cannabis company, would be "an amazing idea."

"It's something we've specifically been looking for to adopt in our company and it seemed like an amazing idea," David said.

"My company is a cannabis company and Spain has a long tradition within the European Union as being a leader or a liberal in the road towards legalisation, so it's evolved quite naturally."

However, a source close to the bidding process said "there has been no contact" from Swissx and there "have been no firm offers" yet regarding the purchase of the naming rights.

The club have also said that the stadium will maintain the name Camp Nou in addition to including the sponsor.

The decision to sell the rights has received a mixed reaction inside the club. A different source told ESPN that some of the furloughed staff, while understanding the need to contribute to outside causes, feel Barca should focus on getting their own house in order financially first.

Camp Nou is the biggest stadium in Europe with more than 99,000 seats. Since opening in 1957 it never had a sponsor.

The club had planned to wait to sell the stadium's naming rights for the first time in the 2023-24 season as part of plans to redevelop the ground.

Sources have previously told ESPN that Barca hoped to bring in €300 million paid upfront for a 25-year contract to pay for the renovations to the stadium and other facilities.

The IFAB, football's lawmakers, will move quickly to approve FIFA's proposal that teams can make up to five substitutions per match, instead of the usual three, as a temporary measure to help cope with potential fixture congestion in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak.

While the IFAB expects to make a decision soon, ESPN has been told there is not yet a definitive date for the IFAB board to rubber-stamp the plan.

"After a period where FIFA and The IFAB have been considering ways in which they might assist football when it resumes, The IFAB is now working with FIFA on their proposal for a temporary dispensation of Law 3 (The Players) allowing competitions to give teams the option to use a maximum of five substitutes in up to three occasions during the match, plus half-time," an IFAB statement to ESPN read.

"This proposal has been well received and The IFAB is aiming to facilitate a decision quickly. More information will be available in the coming days, once the formal approval processes have been completed."

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The proposal gives managers the option of letting teams use five substitutes across 90 minutes. However, each team will only have three substitution opportunities (not including half-time) which means the temporary law could not be used for additional time-wasting. Cup games which go to extra time will still give teams an additional, sixth substitution.

The law change will be optional, so leagues may choose not to apply it this season to protect sporting integrity. It is likely each association will make its own individual decision based upon the frequency of games once competitions restart.

"When competitions resume, such competitions are likely to face a congested match calendar with a higher-than-normal frequency of matches played in consecutive weeks," FIFA said in a statement. "Safety of the players is one of FIFA's main priority then.

"One concern in this regard is that the higher-than-normal frequency of matches may increase the risk of potential injuries due to a resulting player overload. In light of this and in light of the unique challenge faced globally in delivering competitions according to the originally foreseen calendar, FIFA proposes that a larger number of substitutions be temporarily allowed at the discretion of the relevant competition organiser.

"In competitions where less than five substitutions are currently allowed, each team would now be given the possibility to use up to five substitutions during the match, with the possibility of an additional substitution remaining during extra time, where relevant."

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It is proposed that the temporary law also covers the 2020-21 season, which is also likely to be severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It would also apply to all national team games through to the end of 2021 -- including next season's international tournaments should governing bodies choose.

World Cup qualifying is already behind schedule in Asia and South America, and will be impacted in Europe next year. One solution would be national teams playing three competitive games instead of two during the 10-day periods when clubs are mandated to release players for international duty.

Three substitutes were introduced into the game in 1995, and there will now be speculation that this temporary measure may eventually become permanent.

The IFAB has also confirmed that the new Laws of the Game, that become active on June 1, do not have to be applied by leagues that restart after this date to finish their seasons.

Martin Braithwaite will never forget 2020. In February, he made the shock move from Leganes to Barcelona, with the Catalan club announcing him as an emergency signing three weeks after the close of the January transfer window. In March, he came off the bench to play in the Clasico against Real Madrid. Then, just two weeks later and 20 days after he joined the Spanish champions, football in Spain was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Braithwaite was able to return to his Madrid home from his Barcelona hotel before strict lockdown measures came into place in Spain, although things have not slowed down for him while in quarantine. Last weekend, his wife welcomed their fourth child into the world as the Denmark international's whirlwind year continued.

In the middle of it all, Braithwaite found the time to talk to ESPN about working from home, signing for Barca and connecting with Lionel Messi.

ESPN: The timing of the lockdown means you were able to be with your family for the birth of your fourth child -- congratulations!

Martin Braithwaite: Thanks! I'm always trying to look for the positives, and this is definitely one, [the fact that] I could be by my wife's side during this situation, where she was home alone with the kids -- although my mother-in-law has been here as well. I am so happy that I could share this moment because if the season [had not been interrupted], I am not sure I would have been here.

ESPN: With three kids and now a newborn, it must be a struggle to keep up with training.

Braithwaite: I am training every day; I'm actually quite busy. I don't know how but I wake up early in the morning and I go to bed really late. I feel like I don't have any time in the day. I have a schedule for what I want to do, and it's fully booked, to be honest. I am just flying around, obviously in my own house, but I feel there are a lot of things to do if you just set up your day.

I do the club's workout and then something on the side. We talk to the club's personal trainer every day. He gives us the programme for the following day and wants to hear how we feel about everything. We're in contact with the club every day.

ESPN: Is working from home difficult for a footballer?

Braithwaite: If the kids are around and they want to ask you a lot of questions and you have to be the dad, you cannot be 100% intense. It's important when you're training that you keep that intensity, because when you get back and you have to play the games, it's all about the intensity. When I start training it has to be really intense, and I have to be 100% focused.

Of course it's really difficult when you're at home with the kids around, I saw that in the first couple of days. You need to have a tight schedule and be able to say "OK, I am training at this time, and I am doing it like this," because if you just wake up and go by the day, the day will suddenly go away and you end up having to do a workout at 10 p.m. -- when you have kids, there is always something to do.

ESPN: You still found time to briefly replicate Ronaldo's famous 2002 World Cup haircut ...

Braithwaite: I was just enjoying myself! I was cutting my hair, and I just felt it. I said "OK, let me see how this looks," and I felt the power, suddenly I felt more technical and everything. [But] I didn't stick with it, I think my wife wasn't that happy about it, so I had to cut it off.

Ronaldo was my main idol growing up, that's the guy I really looked to for inspiration, how to develop myself as a player. I just loved how he played.

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A new talent discovered today ?

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ESPN: The lockdown came so early in your career at Barcelona that you didn't get much time to get to know your new teammates.

Braithwaite: It's cool, we have a WhatsApp group where we are talking, but I'm not really thinking about that. I am always looking for the positives, always trying to get an edge out of no matter what happens. I am always turning obstacles into something good.

Now, I have time -- time that I normally wouldn't have -- so I can do a lot of things that I might not have done before. I have a lot of time to think what I can do better in my game, look at videos, be more detailed in my personal training. I am sure when I get back, [Barcelona] will get an even better version of me.

ESPN: What videos have you been watching?

Braithwaite: I've been looking a little bit at my own performances, but only in the games I played since I came here. I cannot really compare my performances in other teams because the way we play here is so different.

I have watched a lot of [Barca] games to try and look how I can fit in. I always like to look at my teammates, how they are playing, how they are passing. They don't need to adapt to me; I adapt to them. It will help me when I get back, just to be sharp, and I know where the ball will fall down around the box. I will be there waiting, just to score the goals.

ESPN: How do you rate your first three games at the club?

Braithwaite: It's been good, but I'm always looking to improve. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I like to push myself. I know I will do even better than I have done so far. It's easier when you play with such good players. I know I just need to make my good movements and they will find me.

You have Messi, who can do everything. The [opponent] is going to focus a lot around him, so I just have to play my game, and my game is naturally running in behind. I think it's not fun for other teams, you know you have to look at Messi, but you have someone running in behind, so the defenders have to make a choice. Either they follow Messi or they follow me, and someone is going to get the space. You cannot play 90 minutes without giving us space.

I can also come and get the ball, but I don't need it in this team because we have so many good players. I'm just going to stay focused running behind, making it really difficult for the defence and putting them in a position where they have to make a choice. We just have to take advantage of that when we play. We have such good players that I am sure we will.

ESPN: Are you missing football?

Braithwaite: Oh, I miss it every day. I am missing it so much. That's what I love to do. That's what pushes me to wake up and work out. I really can't wait to go back.

ESPN: Has it been tough mentally?

Braithwaite: I feel better than I thought, but I think it's because I am putting my total focus into improving my game. But at the same time I really miss playing and training. My wife asked me what I am most looking forward to, and I think she got a bit disappointed that I didn't say going out to restaurants eating with her -- I just said I want to go to training.

ESPN: How do you feel about playing behind closed doors when football returns?

Braithwaite: If that's the best way to keep people's health and keep everyone secure, that's what we have to do, even though it's not what we want. We love to play for the fans; that's what we've been playing for since we were kids. The fans are everything, they give us that adrenaline, that rush when we go to the stadium.

ESPN: Signing for Barca, the coronavirus lockdown, becoming a father for a fourth time. You can't have imagined all of this happening this year on Jan. 1?

Braithwaite: Not at that moment. I am a guy who dreams big. I believe everything is possible, but I wouldn't have said it would happen that fast for sure.

ESPN: Is it true you kept Barca's interest a secret?

Braithwaite: I heard about it at the end of January and then it got more intense in February. I just felt, you know, that I am going to wait and see how this goes. If it's going to get 100% serious, then I will let [my wife] know, but there's no reason to get people around me excited. I got excited, but I knew if I told people, they were gonna be talking about it every day. For me, I was at Leganes, I had to perform. When I am at a place, I give 100%, so I didn't want to put my mind elsewhere.

ESPN: You didn't even tell your wife?

Braithwaite: Usually I tell everything to my wife, but she only knew three days before I signed because it suddenly got leaked in the media. It got leaked in the morning and I didn't see her until the evening, when I told her I had to talk to her. She knew why. She understood!

ESPN: How did Leganes react?

Braithwaite: Leganes are an amazing club. The people working there are the best people. I cannot speak highly enough of that club. Sometimes when you leave a club, you can leave with mixed feelings, but they totally understood. They said this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so you have to take it. They would have done the same. They truly understood me. They felt it was unfair they couldn't get a replacement, which I understand.

ESPN: How was your relationship with the coach, Javier Aguirre?

Braithwaite: Really good. He's a special guy because he's an old-school guy, and my experience has been that the old school have some kind of distance to the players. But he's the players' man. You can go and talk to him; he is always thinking about the squad. And at the same time, he's someone really hard, you know, people really respect him. You don't have to mess with him, because he will put you in your place, but he has a big heart. [When I left] he told me go and enjoy. He said you have to go, this is your career, this is a big opportunity, of course you have to take it, just go and kill it.

ESPN: Everything's happened so quickly, has 2020 been a blur?

Braithwaite: No, I remember everything pretty clear in my head, and it's been a good experience. I have come to the biggest club in the world, but it's strange because I have always visualised myself there, always been thinking about it.

Arriving [at Barca], with all the circumstances, all the press and everything, of course you feel it's something big. But when I started training, it was just like another club. I felt it was really natural, I felt really welcome by everyone at the club, all the players, the fans ... they have welcomed me with open arms. I appreciate that and when I get on the pitch, I just want to pay [them] back and that's what I'm going to do.

I visualised playing on the biggest stage, winning all the titles and it has led me here.

ESPN: There must have been moments when you had doubts?

Braithwaite: You have ups and downs along the way. You have moments where you think it's never going to happen. And then you just click out of it and you just keep working, because you have the goals written down. You say this is what I wanted to do, this is why I wake up early and work hard, this is why I do a bit extra than what people are willing to do, because I have these high goals and I know I need to work hard. And now it has given me so much power, a fire inside me, because all the goals I have put down, they're coming true. I have seen how powerful it is, and dreams do come true. I know now that I just put my mind to something that seems unachievable and I know I will achieve it.

ESPN: Now you're at Barcelona, what next?

Braithwaite: Maybe some people would come and feel like, "Wow, I made it," but I feel like, "OK, now we're starting, now my career is really starting."

ESPN: And you have a contract until 2024 ...

Braithwaite: I would love to stay even longer, and I am sure I am going to stay even more than four and a half years; that's how I see it in my head.

Right now, I just want to go and play and enjoy and win titles with this team because that's what I am here to do. Now I am at the biggest stage, and now it's about winning titles. This is my aim. Everything that's possible to win, I want to win everything. And for me, at Barcelona, I'm looking at all these legendary players that played here, and all the periods where they had some of the best teams, and for me one of the goals is to be able to say I played in one of the best Barca teams in a generation.

I want people to be able to look back at the team I played in and say, "Yeah, that was one of the best teams there have been in Barca's history." That's a huge motivation for me, and it comes with a lot of hard work, but I am willing to put in the work. I am excited.

The Lakers have been in contact with the Los Angeles mayor's office to discuss the possibility of opening their practice facility for players before the current shelter-at-home order for L.A. residents expires on May 15, sources close to the matter told ESPN.

The NBA announced Monday it will allow players to return to team facilities for voluntary workouts starting May 8. The Lakers, sources said, organized a conference call on Monday with their players to detail what the safety measures will be when the time comes for their doors to open -- be it May 15 or sooner.

Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and coach Frank Vogel conducted the call, providing a basic outline of the protocol players will have to follow once the team gets the green light to host workouts at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo.

The Lakers have not made recommendations to any of the handful of players who are out of town as to when they should return to L.A., sources said.

When the workouts begin, they will be voluntary. However, one source present for the conference call said players sounded "eager" to make the first step back since the NBA went on hiatus on March 11 and two Lakers players tested positive for COVID-19 shortly thereafter.

Some of the Lakers' planned precautionary measures include players having their temperatures taken while they are in their cars when they arrive at the facility and answering questions to a designated medical professional before being granted access to the building.

The Lakers' plan currently does not call for further testing for the coronavirus arranged by the team for players, sources told ESPN.

On a conference call with reporters on April 17, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said health care workers on the front lines have to be "taken care of before we begin talking about NBA players or sports" implementing large-scale testing.

Anyone the Lakers players will encounter at the practice facility will be required to wear a mask and gloves, and the designated rebounder for each player will wear gloves and sterilized sneakers, sources said.

The approach, sources said, is to err on the side of caution, even if it might seem like the rigid circumstances go a bit overboard.

The team will provide players with personal protective equipment, and should a player leave his mask at home, one will be provided upon arrival to the parking lot.

Hand-washing stations will be put in place. The weight room will be rearranged to allow for more space between equipment. Food service in the players' lounge will be revamped to provide meals in individual containers, rather than through a buffet presentation.

A priority in the planning for the Lakers will be the implementation of a strict schedule for players to follow, with slotted workout times to prevent overcrowding. Players will be scheduled in groups of up to four -- each getting their own half court -- for 90-minute workout periods, with ample time between sessions for cleaning and sterilization.

The Lakers solicited player feedback to fill out the schedule, sources said, and determine how many days per week the players would like access to the court.

The workouts will be aimed at individualized skill work and conditioning, with no contact involved.

Lisa Estrada, the Lakers' vice president of facility operations, will assume the role of facility hygiene officer -- a required position the league is asking all 30 of its teams to assign to a senior executive -- and be tasked with managing cleaning crews to scrub the workout areas before and after players put in their time.

The Lakers' plan for sterilization procedures and best safety practices is the result of a group effort from several top team executives over the past few weeks, involving sharing information with other teams, consulting with doctors through their sponsor relationship with UCLA Health and even monitoring baseball being played in South Korea, sources said.

The Lakers are considering conducting a dry run of every step a player would go through when he reports to the facility and undergoes a workout and recording it to provide video instructions that can be distributed to the team, sources said.

Beginning individual workouts is only the first step, of course. Besides the obvious health concerns stemming from the coronavirus, there also is the major challenge of determining the rate at which players should ramp up activity, with no target date known for when games could be resumed to finish the 2019-20 campaign.

Australian cricket's state associations and players' union will be presented with Cricket Australia's opened financial books and forecasts on Thursday, the same day centrally contracted players for Australia's men's and women's team are to be announced.

While April 30 had always been set down as the deadline for CA central contracts to be unveiled, the mere fact that this will happen in accordance with the MoU is a significant sign of order being at least somewhat restored in terms of the Australian cricket system.

At the same time, confirmation that CA will attempt to provide the states with the numbers they are seeking to understand the governing body's straitened financial position is a pointer towards tentative progress after a period of considerable rancour amid the coronavirus pandemic.

ALSO READ: Kevin Roberts 'stumbled' explaining Cricket Australia's financial battle - Malcolm Speed

Progress in talks between CA, its owners and partners still leaves more than 200 CA staff stood down on 20% of their regular pay while executives and a handful of others remain fully employed on 80% pay. Staff on individual contracts, asked to stand down because CA cannot legally force them to unless they agree in writing, have not had the luxury of the collective agreements possessed by either the players or the states to push back for adjusted terms.

CA's chief executive Kevin Roberts had sent all stakeholders in the game scrambling with his assertions two weeks ago that CA would be broke by August without drastic cost-cutting across the board. Subsequent stand down requests for CA staff and negotiations with states and players have played out in a climate of considerable confusion, anger and unrest, leaving Roberts in a battle to engender understanding, trust and respect at all levels. His organisation's presentation to states on Thursday will need to be full and frank.

"It's really reasonable that our state and territory associations and the players' association would be seeking as much information as possible," Roberts told ABC Radio on Saturday. "We're committed to full transparency and ongoing updates, and were now getting ourselves in a position where we've got all of that together in a more coherent way, given the fast-moving nature of it. Part of our challenge is we've been providing such frequent information to the states and territories that on occasions that's rushed, on other occasions its changed from time to time and we just need to draw breath and provide one larger piece of information to them, now they're more up to speed."

There does not yet appear to be a genuine will to make a change of CA chief executive at this point in time, after the NRL and Rugby Australia both moved on their own in a time of widespread uncertainty for sport. But Roberts' actions will be closely watched from here, keeping in mind that there is still some time to go ahead of major negotiations due with the ACA for the next MoU in 2022 and broadcasters for the next major domestic rights deals in 2023.

Talks about the actual amounts each central contract is worth - in terms of retainers, match payments and marketing pool payments - go on. This task has fallen to CA and ACA delegations comprised of the board chair Earl Eddings, and directors Michelle Tredenick and Paul Green, and the ACA president Greg Dyer, chair Shane Watson and board member Neil Maxwell.

Calculations of the amounts the players will be paid, in a summer where there remain an enormous number of variables, will largely depend on whether cash over projections already put aside in the adjustment ledger to be paid out at the end of the MoU - currently believed to be worth around A$80 million - are to be delved into. Not for the first time, CA has viewed the money in this column as an amount worth freeing up to the wider game, whereas the players understandably wish to protect it.

State associations are believed to have been more supportive for a revised proposal seeking a 25% reduction to their annual grants from CA, with built-in reductions or increases depending on variables such as whether or not India tour Australia this summer, for series that the governing body is banking on to substantially top up their financial position.

Negotiations remain at a delicate stage and both players and states are still understood to be seeking more financial information from CA, but it is broadly considered preferable to reach sensible agreements in consultation between the board, its owners and player partners rather than see cricket mired in further arguments over prospective cost-cutting.

Instead, there is a desire to push into the territory Australian cricket is increasingly likely to occupy next summer alongside New Zealand as two of the first countries in the world where elite cricket may be played again.

METAIRIE, La. -- Jameis Winston and the New Orleans Saints had not finalized their pending deal as of Monday night, but assistant general manager Jeff Ireland made the case for why it's a good fit for both sides.

"It's a compliment to Jameis Winston to understand where he's at in this world and sign a one-year deal here and learn behind Drew [Brees]," Ireland said during an appearance on the "Matt Mosley Show" on ESPN Central Texas radio. "Look, there's no better teacher. If Drew never said a word to him, he would observe more than he'll ever learn in football just by learning how Drew does things. He's an incredible leader. He's an incredible studier of the game, how he breaks down his opponents.

"And then you throw in [offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael, [quarterbacks coach] Joe Lombardi and [coach] Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball and those creative minds, Jameis Winston will learn more football in a year than he has in his lifetime."

The upside for the Saints is obvious, too, assuming they can get Winston at a discount rate.

The Saints have continued to insist they believe versatile backup Taysom Hill could become the successor to the 41-year-old Brees -- as they proved by signing him to a two-year, $21 million contract on Sunday. But the Saints have made it clear throughout this offseason that they wanted to sign a veteran backup quarterback who would be ready to step into a game if needed so that they can continue using Hill as a QB/RB/TE/WR.

Winston, 26, has as much upside as any veteran they could have signed. If signed, they would get to evaluate him as a possible successor to Brees. Or perhaps he'll land a starting gig elsewhere next year -- and the Saints could receive a high-end compensatory draft pick.

"It really probably won't be too much different than last year," Ireland said of the setup with Brees, Hill and Teddy Bridgewater, who started five games when Brees was injured. "We feel like [Hill] can start in the league at some point when it's his turn, and that's obviously why we invested in him. But we also need a No. 2 to really utilize [Hill's] skill set and his upside to the full extent of his ability. ... We can't do those things [with Hill] if we don't have a solid No. 2."

Ian Smith, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper and veteran broadcaster, has been honoured by New Zealand Cricket for his "outstanding services to cricket". He was awarded the Bert Sutcliffe Medal on the first day of NZC's virtual awards ceremony for 2019-20.

Other cricketers to have received this award include Walter Hadlee, Merv Wallace, John Reid, Graham Dowling, Richard Hadlee and Ewen Chatfield. Smith, arguably the most recognisable voice of New Zealand cricket on television sets around the world, said he felt "emotional" about joining this list, and dedicated the award to his wife, Louise.

"I'm so grateful," Smith said from his home in Hawkes Bay. "It makes me quite emotional actually to think about joining the list of people who have already won this award.

"The playing aspect was the realisation of a dream. I fondly remember the times keeping to Sir Richard Hadlee, watching Martin Crowe bat sides into submission and all the other guys playing their part as well.

"I've loved every minute of calling Test cricket. Brendon [McCullum's] 300 will live forever in my mind; Test wins at Lord's, Hobart, Ross Taylor's 290, the draw at Eden Park with so much drama against England, and of course the World Cup final at Lord's last year.

"I dedicate this award to my wife Louise. Anyone who's been involved with touring and cricket will know you have to have a base and Louise has been fantastic the whole time."

"It's been a great journey and I wouldn't trade it for a second."

The highlights of a playing career that spanned 63 Tests and 98 ODIs between 1980 and 1992 included a spectacular 173 off 136 balls to rescue New Zealand from 131 for 7 against India in Auckland, and a tally of seven catches in one innings against Sri Lanka. After retirement Smith slipped seemingly effortlessly into commentary and has been calling the action for over two decades, including 112 Tests at home.

In the first of several domestic awards that will be announced this week, NZC also named the T20 men's and women's players of the year - unsurprisingly both players came from Wellington, who won both competitions this season. New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was Women's Super Smash Player of the Year, while Devon Conway, the South Africa-born batsman who is on the verge of qualifying to play for New Zealand, won the Men's Smash Player of the Year.

Conway topped the run charts in the Super Smash - as well as the first-class Plunket Shield and the 50-over Ford Trophy - in the 2019-20 season. He made 543 runs in the Super Smash, at an average of 67.87 and a strike rate of 145.18. Devine fashioned a third straight T20 title for Wellington women, with with 365 runs and 12 wickets.

The second group of domestic award winners will be announced on Wednesday, while the international award winners will be named on Thursday and Friday as part of the ongoing virtual awards ceremony - a necessity in the time of Covid-19 and social distancing.

As the saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

For New Orleans Pelicans rookie forward Zion Williamson, there has been a slightly different take on that.

In the quarantined style of life to which many have had to adapt, Williamson says: "With a goal, there's a way. So, hoop."

Williamson made the comments on the NBA's Twitter feed in an interview with TNT's Ernie Johnson. Williamson talked about staying in shape in case the NBA does resume the season and added it wouldn't take him long to be prepared to play.

"Honestly, I'm ready now," Williamson said. "I've been staying in shape. Working on myself and just staying ready. You never know when the time is going to come when they're going to say, 'All right, let's resume.' I don't want to have to look around at my teammates and say, 'Sorry guys, I'm not ready.' So I'm staying ready for my teammates."

Williamson said he has a goal at his house in New Orleans -- where he has stayed throughout the quarantine -- and has gotten his shots up to stay ready.

The Pelicans have also sent workout equipment to players' houses, and they are participating in Zoom workouts with the team's strength and conditioning staff.

Williamson played in only 19 games this season because of a meniscus injury that didn't allow him to make his NBA debut until Jan. 22. He said he looks at the stoppage of the season from two different perspectives.

"It sucks because I had just come back after sitting three, four months without playing basketball or playing in an NBA game," Williamson said. "As soon as I felt like I was getting going, this happens. It sucks from that perspective. But I think it's a good thing because it gives me extra time to work on my knee and work on my body overall."

When the season was suspended, the Pelicans were 3½ games back of the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoffs. Williamson played a key role in the Pelicans -- who were once 7-23 -- getting back into the playoff race.

In his 19 games, he averaged 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 58.9% from the field. Those numbers were enough to lift him into the NBA Rookie of the Year race, although Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is still the overwhelming favorite.

Williamson and Morant were AAU teammates for a year and, as South Carolina natives, are still close. Williamson said he'd be happy for Morant to win, but his competitive side is still shining through.

"He's worked for that. He's earned that. I give respect when it's due. I always do," Williamson said. "But, you know, as a competitor, I'm just a competitor. I want to win at everything. I'm not going to say I don't want to win. I want to win at everything. My goal was if I could rally my team into the playoffs, hopefully I could've made a run for it. But it's just God's plan at this point. If Ja wins it, I'll be happy for Ja. He's my brother."

Besides trying to stay in shape, Williamson has also made sure to watch the ESPN docuseries "The Last Dance" in his downtime.

When he was growing up, his mother Sharonda Sampson told him to watch film of three players: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Jordan's highlights, in particular, stuck out to Williamson, who signed with Jordan's shoe brand once he turned professional.

"When I started watching Mike, it was just, even though I wasn't alive when he was doing those things, it just captured me," Williamson said.

"Everything he did was just incredible. His highlights are like, 'Man, somebody was doing all that?' And the way he flew through the air, dunked on pretty much anybody. His midrange shot, his playmaking, his defensive ability -- everything he brought to the table.

"And the one thing he said that really stands out to me is, he plays like somebody's watching him for the first time, and he doesn't want to disappoint." He said there was one thing that stuck out for him however while watching the documentary.

"Just the leader he was. You knew he was a leader, but he just -- he's a leader, but he put in the most work. He would always work the hardest, in practice and in games. So it just shows how much of a leader he was."

JEFFERSON, Ga. – The return of stock car racing to Gresham Motorsports Park has been delayed until October.

Due to the unknowns surrounding the regulations and what event officials, teams and spectators can and cannot do during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peach State Classic for asphalt super late models has been postponed.

Event officials have postponed the event to the previously announced backup weekend. That weekend is October 23-25, but there is no race date specified as of yet due to the fact that the NASCAR schedule is not decided upon for the rest of the year.

“Without clarity on what we would be able to do on the original scheduled weekend, we felt it was in the best interest of the race, the track, the racers and the fans to postpone till October,” said Bob Dillner, co-promoter of the Peach State Classic.

“We want the Peach State Classic to be what it was building up to be, an unbelievable event that brings a track back to life. We will work diligently with the local community and our partners to make the October event special and the track that Jim Gresham put his heart and soul in.”

The Peach State Classic will be the first race at Gresham Motorsports Park in more than six years. Casey Roderick won the last race, at the track, the 2014 World Crown 300.