Four Brooklyn Nets, including Kevin Durant, have coronavirus after California trip
Four players from the Brooklyn Nets have tested positive for COVID-19 following a California road trip that was cut short before they came to Sacramento to play the Kings. One of those players is NBA superstar Kevin Durant.
The Nets released a statement Tuesday announcing four of their players have tested positive, bringing the number of known cases in the NBA to seven. The Nets said those unnamed players are currently isolated and under the care of team physicians. One of the players is exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus, but the other three are asymptomatic.
“The organization is currently notifying anyone who has had known contact with the players, including recent opponents, and is working closely with state and local health authorities on reporting,” the Nets said in the statement. “All players and members of the Nets travel party are being asked to remain isolated, closely monitor their health and maintain constant communication with team medical staff.”
Durant told The Athletic’s Shams Charania he was one of the players who tested positive. Charania reported Durant is “feeling fine.”
“Everyone be careful,” Durant told The Athletic. “Take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this.”
Charania also reported the NBA received “sobering” facts and details about the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday during a Board of Governors call with Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General of the United States.
The NBA announced last week it was suspending its season due to the coronavirus outbreak. That announcement came Wednesday night just minutes after the league learned Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive, prompting the league to step in moments before tip-off to postpone games involving the Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Jazz.
Donovan Mitchell, one of Gobert’s teammates, was diagnosed with the illness the following day. Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons tested positive Saturday.
The Jazz played the Pistons on March 7, four days before Gobert was diagnosed with the coronavirus. The Nets hadn’t played either of those teams recently. Their most recent games were against the San Antonio Spurs on March 6, Chicago Bulls on March 8 and the Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, a day before the NBA postponed its season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Nets sought private testing after returning from San Francisco, where they were scheduled to play the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. If the season had not been suspended, the Nets would have returned to Southern California to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday before concluding their trip in Sacramento on Sunday.
“The health of our players and staff is of the highest priority to the organization and the team is doing everything within its power to ensure that those affected receive the best care possible,” the Nets said in Tuesday’s statement. “As always, we appreciate the support of our fans, partners and surrounding community, and we wish all those who are battling this virus a speedy recovery.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 2:03 PM.
