Los Angeles, Thursday @PeopleDailyKe

The NBA has suspended play after a Utah Jazz player preliminarily tested positive for the new coronavirus, the league said Wednesday.

The test result was reported shortly before Utah’s game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City was to begin, and that game was abruptly postponed.

The league said the affected player was not at the arena and was being treated by health officials.

“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the league said. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”

The Jazz issued a statement saying that the affected player had flu-like symptoms but initially tested negative for influenza and a respiratory infection.

The decision was made to test again for COVID-19. The player tested positive and is being treated by health officials in Oklahoma City.

“A preliminary positive result came back right before tip-off of the Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City game,” the Jazz statement said. “The decision was correctly made by the NBA to postpone the game.”

They declined to name the player in the statement, but Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters he believed it was French defensive standout Rudy Gobert (pictured). Gobert was listed first as questionable for the game and then as out with illness.

“Rudy Gobert. You think it is not going to affect us, we are NBA,” said Malone. “One of our players has the coronavirus. Who knows what that means for their team and the other teams that have been with them.”

Team owners had been discussing Wednesday how the league should respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban was sitting courtside at the Mavericks’ game against the visiting Nuggets when he got the news on his phone.

“I thought this is crazy. It can’t be true,” Cuban said. “It is like out of a movie. Unreal.” 

Upon learning the season was being suspended, Cuban immediately walked over to the bench to let the team officials know. -AFP