WNBA players adjusting to life in their Florida bubble

Sue Bird has seen a lot in her storied playing career in WNBA, overseas and Olympics. While thing 39-year-old Seattle Storm guard experienced has prepared her for life in WNBA bubble, she is making best of situation.

WNBA put all 12 of its teams at a single site — IMG Acemy in Brenton, Florida — in hopes of playing full 22-game season amid coronavirus pandemic.

“ bubble is part summer camp, mixed in with Olympic vill, playing overseas and an AAU tournament with a little bit of college life thrown in,” Bird said in a phone interview.

Two weeks into experiment, players and coaches have been justing to ir temporary homes.

“It’s like overseas, but a little bit easier as far as access to things as you can order in and it's less isolating since you have so many of your friends around,” Bird's teammate Breanna Stewart said. “In end, getting here and seeing how everything has come to fruition, I kw it’s going to work, as long as everyone’s smart and continues to be safe. We're trusting everyone that's here is going to be safe.”

Stewart is living in a villa with some of her Storm teammates while Bird is staying at hotel on site. Players were given option of where y wanted to live.

street where villas are located — a few minutes from hotel — has feel of a sorority row.

Each team was given two golf carts and y are usually parked in front of villas where players or operations staff are staying. Atlanta glossed up its carts with team's new logo on front.

“You say hello to people and could bump into someone a few times a day from ar squ,” New York guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “It feels like Nike Nationals AAU Tournament. You could be eating next to a team or hanging out at pool with players that you're going to be playing against later that day.”

While a few players voiced ir concerns first few days about quality of food and accommodations, league quickly dressed those issues.

With ir quarantines concluded, players and staff w have a robust array of food options offered daily at hotel. Or players can get groceries delivered and cook for mselves in villas. hotel is also where league does its daily virus testing.

“Food has been great. Service has been great. People have h issues with ir housing. but re is protocol for this, and league took care of it," Phoenix Mercury veteran Diana Taurasi said. "This is first time anyone has done this. WNBA has gone far and beyond what I thought would happen.”

Even with WNBA in bubble, virus is still on everyone’s mind. Players wear masks unless y are eating. When y line up for food and testing, marks on ground remind m to stand at least 6 feet apart.

People can hang out in hotel lounge, which has tabled spre apart to maintain social distancing. pool has become a popular spot during day and at night.

Even with leisure activities, many players spend ir free time relaxing in ir rooms.

“re is a lot of sitting in your room, FaceTime with your family,” Taurasi said. “It's t ideal, but everyone's trying ir best to make sure y we are comfortable mentally and physically.”