Durant, three other Nets test positive for coronavirus
Four Brooklyn Nets players, including Kevin Durant, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.
The Nets did not name the players Tuesday, but Durant confirmed he was one of them to The Athletic, saying: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this.”
The Nets announced that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.
Brooklyn last played on March 10 in Los Angeles, beating the Lakers. The Nets were then to face the Golden State Warriors two nights later in San Francisco — a game that was to be played without fans — before the NBA season was suspended after Utah’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
“I saw that news,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the Nets’ positive tests while speaking on a conference call. “I’m hoping none of our players went and hung out with guys the night before our game. I don’t know if that’s the case or not.”
The Warriors have shut down operations at Chase Center as to comply with San Francisco’s shelter-inplace ordinance. General manager Bob Myers said the Warriors will not administer tests unless players show symptoms of COVID-19.
Members of the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly under quarantine for 14 days and will tested for COVID-19.
Baseball
GIANTS, A’S ESTABLISH RELIEF FUNDS FOR WORKERS >> All 30 MLB teams — including the A’s and Giants — are committed to establishing $1 million employee relief funds, according to published reports. The fund will provide some financial cushion for employees who would not work or get paid for games postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The season’s suspension could last until mid-May, at least, which leaves ushers, vendors, security guards among the ballpark employees without work for a month-plus.
The wages and tips earned over five months of home baseball games are a primary source of income for some of the workers. 2ND YANKEES MINOR LEAGUER TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS >> A second player within the New York Yankees’ minor league system tested positive for coronavirus, multiple media outlets reported.
The unidentified player’s diagnosis comes on the heels of another Yankees’ minor leaguer testing positive on Friday.
ASTROS ACE JUSTIN VERLANDER HAS SURGERY ON GROIN >> Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander had surgery on his right groin and is expected to be out about six weeks. Verlander dealt with the problem early in spring training. His first start was delayed until March 3 because of discomfort in his right groin.
Tennis
NEW FRENCH OPEN DATES CREATE MAJOR CLASH WITH EVENTS >> The organizers of the French Open postponed the Grand Slam tournament until Sept. 20Oct. 4 from its May start amid the coronavirus outbreak, with the new dates colliding with numerous events on the scheduled global calendar.
The French Open, the first major tournament to be hit by the spread of the coronavirus, had been initially scheduled to be played from May 24-June 7 at Roland Garros but instead will now start just a week after the final of the U.S. Open.
The U.S. Tennis Association said it is considering “the possibility” of postponing the U.S. Open because of the outbreak.
The French Open switch results in clashes with ATP tournaments in Metz, St. Petersburg, Chengdu, Sofia and Zhuhai as well as WTA events in Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo and Wuhan.
Obituary
JOHN ELWAY’S MOTHER DIES >> Janet Elway, the matriarch of the Elway family and mother of Hall of Fame quarterback and Broncos general manager John Elway, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, the team announced. She was 82.
The team said she died in Palm Desert on March 4.
Former Stanford and San Jose State head coach Jack Elway, Janet’s husband, preceded her in death in 2001. She was a constant presence in the stands while her husband was coaching at San Jose State (1979-83) and Stanford (1984-89).
“Jan was the rock of our family,” the Elway family said in a statement.
Soccer
UEFA POSTPONES EURO 2020 BY 1 YEAR >> This year’s European Championship was postponed for one year on Tuesday because of the coronavirus outbreak.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said the spreading virus currently “makes football and all life in Europe quite impossible.”
The tournament is now scheduled to be played from next June 11 to July 11.
Euro 2020 was scheduled to start on June 12 and be hosted by 12 different countries.
Women’s college basketball
SOUTH CAROLINA VOTED NO. 1 IN FINAL POLL >> South Carolina finished No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll.
The Gamecocks garnered 26 of the 30 firstplace votes, with No. 2 Oregon capturing the remaining votes. Oregon was followed by Baylor, Maryland and UConn.
Rounding out the top 10 were Louisville, Stanford, North Carolina State, Mississippi State and UCLA.