On Wednesday night, a game between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was suspended after a Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.
Reportedly, via ESPN NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the player infected was Rudy Gobert. But before Gobert found out for certain that he had contracted the virus, he had first made a joke when asked about whether he was afraid of the virus, in a press conference on Monday. In which the Frenchman burped into the microphone and proceeded to rub his hands all over the mic and table, as media members and team attendees looked on and laughed.
Given that the disease can lay dormant for about a week, it’s likely, almost certain, that Gobert had the disease when he made the joke.
Shortly after the postponement of the Jazz-Thunder game, the NBA announced that it was suspending its season until league officials could determine “next steps for moving forward” in how to handle the virus.
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