How are we all holding up after the cancellation of every sports game broadcasted during this season? Especially the NBA! These cancellations are enough to bring an NBA fan to tears as it seems as though sports channels are running out of ideas or content. Honestly, I have been at home watching throwback basketball games, highlights, and documentaries to occupy my desire for sports. It\’s been weeks since the NBA season postponed everything after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the first established NBA case of the virus being traced back to Rudy Gobert back in March, the virus has spread to numerous players.
From Gobert to his teammate Donovan Mitchell, after these cases of the Coronavirus on the same team, the NBA has done testing around the league releasing the results of some players and choosing not to release the results of others. I am just curious as to why they didn\’t release the results of all the players instead of just a select few? The result that shocked the world, was when Mitchell, who is African-American was reported testing positive for the Coronavirus. Although Gobert is half-African-American, at that time it wasn\’t known that African-Americans could contract the virus.
However, anybody else from that point wouldn\’t be looked at in any negative light as NBA players travel frequently and further than most in the first place. So, when you take into account all the different places and people that NBA players, as well as other professional athletes, are surrounded by, it would be very difficult to keep one\’s sanitizing up to par. Understandably this is why the league decided to cancel the season. Since the first \”spotting\” in the league, players such as Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, and Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood have all tested positive for the virus. As I said previously, there are other cases that have been reported around the league and the names of those names have not yet been released to the public. I understand not wanting to draw extra attention to oneself, yet wouldn\’t that attention bring empathy and many would heed the warnings of staying clean and practicing social distancing during the remainder of such a time, especially if the reported case is someone on the social magnitude of Durant and his presence in the world? Questions like these arise when I begin to think about how this pandemic is affecting the sport and the world.
As I mentioned previously, this crisis hasn\’t affected solely the players. Knicks owner, James Dolan has recently tested positive for the Coronavirus. There are now a total of 15 cases in the NBA across eight different teams in America.
On the bright side has been released that Boston Celtics\’ guard Smart has recently been cleared of the virus since he had been diagnosed with it. as well as one of the first players to contract the virus, and Detroit Pistons forward Wood. There is still no word yet on Brooklyn Nets all-star Durant and his status, but all prayers to him and the rest of the players on the rosters with Coronavirus. After his experience with the sickness, Smart has recently funded money for expenses that would go towards helping treat this chaotic illness. More information will be released in the upcoming days in the meantime may, everybody stay safe through these harsh times.