NBA suspends season after player tests positive for coronavirus
Events across U.S. cancelled; sportscaster Jim Gray reacts.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, whose positive coronavirus test prompted the NBA to suspend its season, was seen joking about the disease on Monday, according to multiple reports.
The NBA player was captured on video touching tape recorders and microphones at the end of an interview session just two days before he tested preliminarily positive for the virus, which ESPN reported on Wednesday night.
"That's OK...Thank you," one person in the room could be heard saying to Gobert after he touched the recording devices.
NBA SUSPENDS SEASON UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE AFTER PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
The team had moved shootaround availability from the court to its media room as part of the coronavirus response. Gobert had just finished discussing that situation before his actions, according to a tweet from Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune.
"We were being told to keep 6-8 feet away from them on the assumption that we might infect a player," said Andy Larsen of the Tribune. "I thought it was Rudy thumbing his nose at the separation between us."
Gobert's positive test -- which has yet to be officially confirmed by the NBA -- occurred just before the Jazz were set to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Both teams were pulled off the court and the game was postponed, according to an NBA statement.
“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the statement read. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
A public announcer at the game said the decision to postpone the contest was made "due to unforeseen circumstances."
The NBA said teams that played the Jazz in the last 10 days should self-quarantine. The Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors were Utah's opponents since March 2.
Members of the Thunder left the arena without being tested for COVID-19, while Jazz team buses were seen leaving the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City early on Thursday morning, according to Royce Young of ESPN.
Jazz players will be reportedly staying at a hotel in the city and making travel plans to Utah pending the results of their virus testing.
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Gobert was previously listed on the team's injury report as "questionable" with an illness. The team had released a statement on Wednesday night saying a player had "tested negative for influenza, strep throat, and an upper respiratory infection" that morning.
Mar 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) dribbles in the fourth quarter against Minnesota Timberwolves center Justin Hamilton (41) at Target Center. Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
"The individual’s symptoms diminished over the course of today, however, in a precautionary measure, and in consultation and cooperation with NBA medical staff and Oklahoma health officials, the decision was made to test for COVID-19," they added.
Gobert was drafted 27th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2013, before being traded to the Jazz on draft night.
He represents the French national team during international basketball competitions and won back to back NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2018 and 2019.
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COVID-19 has infected 126,254 people around the globe, including 1,312 in the U.S. as of Thursday morning. Over 4,637 people have died from the virus.
Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report
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