Paul George is not a fan of how much access reporters get in the locker rooms after NBA games.
The 76ers new recruit brought it up on his podcast in support of NFL players, who have called for reporters to stop getting immediate access to locker rooms shortly after games.
George recalled a time in Washington where a reporter was being inappropriate.
“There was an incident and there was even way back my time of being in the NBA where guys would talk about this situation,” PG said on Podcast P With Paul George. “There was a reporter in Washington that would look at, stare at dudes’ private parts while they’re in calls or while they’re changing.”
He continued, “The game might be over, and ten minutes after that, all the reporters are coming in. You know what I mean? You might take a second to kind of process what just happened, get your thoughts and stuff together.
“We’re in towels, we’re naked. We just got out of the shower, and then you have these reporters in there, and they’re not staring at a wall. They’re looking at us, and that’s our safe space.
“You can’t even talk even if it’s like an injury or that’s how stories get leaked. I’m trying to talk to a teammate like, ‘Yo, should have done this better or should have done that better,’ and now a story gets blown out of proportion because of someone eavesdropping.”
The NFLPA released a statement recently calling for the league to change its media policy and suggested things like having interviews outside the locker rooms.
“Over the past three years, the NFLPA has tried to work with the NFL and Pro Football Writers of America to move media interviews out of locker rooms. However, there has been little willingness to collaborate on a new solution,” the statement read. “Players feel that locker room interviews invade their privacy and are uncomfortable. This isn’t about limiting media access but about respecting players’ privacy and dignity.”
