Seven NBA players – Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Pistons big Christian Wood and four Nets including Kevin Durant – were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Now, the Nuggets have a positive test.
Nuggets release:On Thursday, March 19th, a member of the Denver Nuggets organization tested positive for COVID-19. The person, who was tested after experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 on March 16th, is currently under the care of team medical staff and in self-isolation. The testing was undertaken following guidance from state public health officials and team physicians.
The health and safety of our players, our organization, those throughout our league, and all those potentially impacted by this situation is paramount.
The Nuggets will continue to work in coordination with team physicians, public health officials and infectious disease experts, while focusing on the health and safety of everyone in our community.
I don’t understand the purpose of this statement. The Nuggets are a billion-dollar business with many employees – some who work locally in Denver, some who travel extensively. Knowing one of them tested positive for coronavirus doesn’t serve anyone. Really, it only draws suspicions onto all Nuggets employees.
The point of revealing someone’s coronavirus diagnosis should be alerting people who came into close contact with that person. That doesn’t work through this release. There’s just not enough information.
If it’s someone who didn’t interact with the public, I’m not sure it’s worth invading his or her privacy to spread this news through a statement. Again, what does it accomplish?
The Jazz, Pistons and Nets didn’t disclose precisely who contracted coronavirus. But at least they identified it was a player or players. And to their credit, Gobert, Mitchell, Wood and Durant have came forward with their diagnoses. Interacting with an NBA player is a highly memorable experience for most people that’s often forgettable for the player. Anyone in close contact with those four players can now take the appropriate steps. Anyone in contact with any Brooklyn player – three of whom diagnosed with coronavirus but remain unnamed – can also take precautions.