The coronavirus quickly spread across the country and the globe. With Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (as well as his teammate Emmanuel Mudiay) testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, it makes sense that the league has suspended the season.
The French big has shared the floor with 34 different players since Friday which has understandably escalated hysteria around the league. Gobert and the rest of the Jazz have been quarantined at Chesapeake Energy Arena alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder in their own locker room.
According to a statement made by the Jazz, Gobert tested negative for the flu, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection earlier on Wednesday before testing positive for the coronavirus.
Article Continues BelowFollowing Gobert's diagnosis, the NBA announced that they would suspend the season for an indiscriminate amount of time starting on Thursday. The league has stated that they will use the time to figure out the next steps in regard to the pandemic.
Per the New York Times, there have been 1,240 reported cases of the virus in the U.S. across 42 states with at least 37 deaths. Worldwide, that number has climbed to over 125,000 cases and over 4,600 deaths.
The NBA is not taking the outbreak and overall spreadability of the virus lightly and is doing what they can to ensure the safety of their players.