Source: Omar Rawlings / Getty
The NBA season is done. The pro basketball league has suspended the 2019-2020 season after Rudy Gobert tested positive for the Coronavirus, which has now been classified as a pandemic.
The NBA reported that a Utah Jazz player had tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), and they got word of it before the Jazz were set to play the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although the player was not in the arena, the game was still canceled.
“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” reads the statement, released shortly before 10pm ET. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
USA Today reported that a person familiar with the situation confirmed that it was Rudy Gobert. Earlier in the day, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a conference call to discuss the next steps of dealing with the coronavirus. Most were said to be on board to suspend play or move forward with only essential personnel in arenas. But word is the Knicks were the only team who wanted to remain business as usual until the government issued some sort of mandate, per ESPN.
Earlier in the day, the NCAA announced that only essential staff and family would be allowed to attend the Men’s Basketball tournament games, putting a damper on March Madness.
In a sick twist of fate, it was Gobert who joked about the coronavirus by touching all the mics in front of him at the conclusion of a post-game presser a few days. Not so funny now—and life comes at you fast.
