Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell says he can get back on court tomorrow for a seven-game playoff series.
At a time when the whole world has come to a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the sports industry, especially, the worst hit, the smile on Mitchell’s face and his apparent optimism must be sounding like a lullaby to every sports fan around the world.
The 23-year-old NBA superstar was appearing on “Good Morning America” where he opened up on various subjects, like his day-to-day health as he recovers from Covid-19, and the emotions he went through when he was tested positive for the coronavirus, and above all, what feelings and emotions he holds for his teammate Rudy Gobert whose carelessness and naivety was the reason for his current health situation.
Donovan Mitchell says he doesn’t have any clear coronavirus symptoms and feels like he could play in a 7-game series tomorrow:
“If it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn’t know it. And that’s the scariest part of this virus.”
(via @GMA)pic.twitter.com/2IUq1SRW6Q
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 16, 2020
“Got no fever, no symptoms as of right now and just blessed to be okay,” Mitchell says.
“Right now, the biggest thing for me is to just stay in isolation and just keep to myself.”
Before testing positive for Covid-19, Mitchell’s teammate Rudy Gobert made fun of the rules set in motion by NBA asking players to keep distance, as he touched recorders and microphones in front of him during a media briefing on March 09. And believe it or not, the French international was the first player to contract the virus which has now engulfed the whole world.
When NBA postponed Sacramento Kings‘ home tilt against the New Orleans Pelicans, which was the first game to be called off due to the virus threat, the NBA didn’t reveal Gobert’s name at that time, but ESPN, and other multiple sources, did confirm that it indeed was Gobert.
Of course, Gobert was with his teammate all the while, and in fact, he sat beside Mitchell on the team plane. There was no other option but to test the whole team, and Mitchell was the only player to test positive.
Mitchell also said that he was weeping when Doctors pierced needles into his body, not because of the pain, but due to the turn of events.
“It took a while for me to cool off,” said Mitchell.
“I read what he said and I heard what he said. I’m glad he’s doing OK, I’m glad I’m doing well. I’m just really happy, to be honest, that it’s just – I hate to say it’s just two of us but it wasn’t the whole party.”
Mitchell is the leading player for the Jazz this season on the offensive front. He is the team’s best player with 24.2 points per game. Jazz sit fourth in the Western Conference power ranking with a 41-23 return on the season.
Detroit Pistons’ forward Christian Wood is the third NBA player to test positive. According to reports, the 24-year-old said he felt uncomfortable before Detroit Pistons’ home game against Philadelphia 76ers and still ended with his career-high night with 32 points in that game.
Pistons forward Christian Wood reported flu-like symptoms the morning of Detroit's game against Philadelphia on Wednesday, league sources told @SInow. Wood played, but when the Gobert news broke Wood was tested immediately upon the team's return to Detroit.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 15, 2020
Gobert’s positive test forced the NBA to postpone the season for the time being. And considering that the situation in the United States of America is getting worse with each passing day, it seems it could be while before we see the NBA stars lining on the court for the hoop.
