NETS HIT HARD
DURANT, 3 OTHERS HAVE VIRUS
Nets star Kevin Durant has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The four-time scoring champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP who signed with the Nets over the summer said he feels fine: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this,” he told The Athletic.
Durant was one of four Nets players who tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday. He traveled with the team for its West Coast road trip and sat on the bench as it defeated the Lakers, 104-102, a week ago.
The other players were not named by the team, but have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.
Of the four players, the Nets announced three are asymptomatic while one is exhibiting symptoms.
“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 team said in a 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.
“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.”
The Nets’ victory over the Lakers was one of their best games of the season, decided by a jump shot from Spencer Dinwiddie, a Los Angeles native who grew up a Lakers fan.
The Nets, without Durant, then traveled to San Francisco — a known coronavirus hot spot — the following day, but the game was never played: The NBA suspended the season on March 11 after Jazz star Rudy Gobert became the first player to test positive for the coronavirus.
The Nets then flew back to Brooklyn. After that plane ride, the Nets paid a private company out of pocket to test each player for the coronavirus, according to ESPN. One player who tested positive woke up with some aches, ESPN reports, while the other three exhibited no symptoms.
The Nets hosted each of the three games prior to their West Coast trip: March 4 vs. the Grizzlies; March 6 vs. the Spurs; and March 8 vs. the Bulls. Those teams will test their players for the coronavirus.
The Nets have also played the 76ers, Hornets, Magic, Wizards, Hawks, Heat and Celtics since returning from the mid-February NBA All-Star break.
The Nets have become the second team to have multiple players contract the coronavirus. The first team was the Jazz, whose pair of All-Stars in Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both tested positive within one day of each other. Detroit forward Christian Wood has also tested positive.
The Nets news comes as the NBA takes a minimum 30-day hiatus. Team USA basketball has also suspended all scheduled events until further notice. It has canceled the 2020 NIKE Hoop Summit and postponed the 2020 Red Bull USA Basketball 3X Nationals.
The news also comes as everyday civilians have struggled to find accessible coronavirus testing across the world. The World Health Organization labeled the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic on March 11. It spread across the globe in a matter of weeks, and while multi-million-dollar players have had no trouble getting tested, others have.
The Golden State Warriors, for example, still have not had their players or coaches tested despite playing in a state that owns the third-most reported coronavirus cases in the country.
“I’ve been told by our doctors that we shouldn’t be testing our asymptomatic people in California,” Warriors GM Bob Myers said. “We’ve been told there’s not enough tests to do that.”