Rockets’ Westbrook positive for coronavirus
Hopes to join team soon, while NBA has two players serving further quarantine for venturing outside bubble
— Russell Westbrook of the
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Houston Rockets said Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus and that he plans to eventually join his team at the restart of the NBA season.
Westbrook made the revelation on social media. As recently as Sunday, the Rockets believed that Westbrook and James Harden — neither of whom traveled with the team to Walt Disney World near Orlando last week — would be with the team in the next few days.
In Westbrook's case, that now seems most unlikely.“I tested positive for covid-19 prior to my teams departure to Orlando," Westbrook wrote on his Instagram page. “I'm currently feeling well, quarantined, and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared."
Westbrook is averaging 27.5 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game for the Rockets this season. Houston has clinched a playoff spot and resumes its season with the first of eight seeding games on July 31 against Dallas.
Inside the NBA bubble, optimism that the rules established by the league and the players will work — even though some Disney parks reopened to visitors over the weekend and the MLS restart, also at the campus, has seen two teams leave after a spate of positive tests.
At least two players inside the NBA bubble have already paid a steep price for violating quarantine upon their teams' respective arrivals last week.
Sacramento's Richaun Holmes revealed Monday that he “briefly and accidentally" crossed the NBA campus line to pick up a food delivery. Under the NBA's rules of the restart, he now has to spend 10 days in quarantine.
Holmes said Monday that he had eight days remaining.
“I apologize for my actions and look forward to rejoining my teammates for our playoff push," Holmes posted on social media.
Also Monday, a person with knowledge of the situation said that Houston's Bruno Caboclo was also serving a 10-day quarantine for crossing the campus line. Like Holmes, Caboclo also had eight days remaining Monday.