NBA: How the coronavirus pandemic united the league.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving strike a pose on Brooklyn Nets media last September 2019. Durant is one of four Nets players to test positive for the coronavirus. (Photo Courtesy: EBC New York Bureau)

Tennie Sumague
EBC New York Bureau

(Eagle News) – March 12, 2020 will forever be remembered as the day when the coronavirus hit the NBA landscape.

During this time, I was in Guatemala City on a short spiritual trip eating at a popular Guatemalan food chain. While watching the Dallas Mavericks play the Denver Nuggets on ESPN, alarming news broke out from NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski:

Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert during

“Rudy Gobert tests positive for coronavirus. That was learned in Oklahoma City prior to that game between the [Utah] Jazz and Thunder. Right now, [both teams] are quarantined in that arena. The NBA league has decided to suspend play after tonight’s games…”

I turned to my friend in complete shock, watching this while savoring the most delicious grilled lime chicken I’ve ever had in my life. I saw the facial reaction of Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, on television — astonished and alarmed. My friend then reminded me that the week before this happened, I had covered both the Jazz and the Thunder when both teams played the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. I wasn’t able to do postgame interviews with the players from any of the teams and seeing how this virus is spreading so quickly, I’m thankful that I left both games early.

Donovan Mitchell (Photo Courtesy: AFP)

As more coronavirus news developed, other NBA players and organizational staff members tested positive — Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell, Detroit Pistons forward/center Christian Wood, Kevin Durant and three other Brooklyn Nets players, two Los Angeles Lakers players, three Philadelphia 76ers staff members, a Denver Nuggets employee and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics. Former player Jason Collins tweeted that he was tested positive showing symptoms of headaches, fever and a cough.

For the last three months, we have seen the NBA world go through an emotional rollercoaster of events — injuries, coaches stepping down, the untimely death of Kobe Bryant to name a few. Now players and staff are faced with another unforeseen form of adversity that has created a domino effect in the league.

Since its outbreak across the U.S., players have used social media as a platform to bring awareness to the virus, advocating social distancing, proper hygiene and staying at home during this trying time. Charitable acts of kindness are also being displayed where teams and players have donated money to food banks and arena workers who lost their jobs.

Prior to the outbreak, Thunder center, Steven Adams, a native of New Zealand addressed how the pandemic should not be taken lightly.

Hamidou Diallo
(Photo Courtesy: AFP)

“There have been a lot of deaths. It shouldn’t be taken lightly, but also not blown out of proportion. I think it’s actually kinda good [that] people who don’t wash their hands after the bathroom actually wash their hands now, which you should be doing anyway right? People want to be all anal about it now — do it all the time then. But I’m just doing the normal stuff that’s recommended.”

NBA 2019 Slam Dunk champion, Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo remains cautious of what is spreading around.

“To a certain extent, I mean, just being more cautious in trying to protect my health and I feel like everybody should be doing that. I mean, the less contact you make with a lot of people that you don’t know [who have the virus]. I mean it’s a sad thing but you got to prepare yourself and make sure that you’re doing the right things to stay healthy.”

No one knows what the future holds for the remaining season, but one positive message that this pandemic brought to the NBA is the message of unity.

(Eagle News Service)