CBA Memo Tells American Players to Prepare to Resume League Play in Early April

The Chinese Basketball Association is preparing to resume play as early as April 2, but some American players under contract are reluctant to return to the country amid safety concerns.

In a league memo to clubs obtained by ESPN's Jonathan Givony, the CBA said the coronavirus epidemic is "basically stable" and under control in cities where teams are located: 

"In January 2020, the new coronavirus broke out in many places across the country. According to the requirements of national epidemic prevention and control, we postponed the subsequent games of the 2019-2020 CBA season scheduled to be held on February 1. At present, the situation of epidemic prevention and control in CBA cities is basically stable. In order to better respond to the national requirements on precise prevention and control, solid and orderly promotion of return to work and production, shoulder the mission and task of sports confidence, warm people's hearts and gather people's hearts, according to the relevant requirements of China Basketball Association on the restart of the league, the rest of the games of the 2019-2020 CBA season will restart from the beginning of April.

"All clubs and teams are requested to prepare for the restart of CBA League as early as April 2."

Givony noted several American players have "flatly" stated they are not planning on going to China "anytime in the near future due to safety concerns, at least not without significantly more information in hand."

Per Givony, CBA teams are "becoming increasingly hostile" toward players refusing to return and threatening them with lifetime bans and their representatives with a loss of league agency licenses for two to three years. 

The CBA suspended its season indefinitely in January as the coronavirus was spreading throughout the country. 

Jeremy Lin, who plays for the Beijing Ducks, wrote on Instagram that he was "on standby, training and staying ready if the season resumes."

Several American players were stuck in limbo as a result of the CBA's indefinite suspension. Chasson Randle's agent told Givony on Feb. 25 that his client twice attempted to sign a 10-day contract with an NBA team, but couldn't obtain a FIBA letter of clearance from the Tianjin Gold Lions.

Randle was eventually able to sign a 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors on March 3. 

The U.S. State Department issued a Level-4 travel ban into China on Feb. 2 as a result of the coronavirus. 

Per CNN.com, more than 113,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and 4,000 people have died after contracting the disease.