Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who recorded the NBA’s first positive test for COVID-19, still hasn’t fully recovered from the virus. Gobert, whose test results sparked the league-wide shutdown, describes his symptoms in an interview with L’Equip (translation provided by BasketUSA).
“The taste has returned, but the smell is still not 100%,” Gobert said. “I can smell the smells, but not from afar. I spoke to specialists, who told me that it could take up to a year.”
Gobert is eager to start playing again, saying he hasn’t been part of a five-on-five game since the hiatus began. He has been boxing, swimming and running in the mountains, but had a physical reaction last month that he said felt like “ants in my toes.” Gobert also talked about shouldering the blame for the shutdown.
“The NBA was waiting for a first case to stop the championship, it fell on me!” he said. “I became the image of the coronavirus for the Americans, the domino that triggered the end of the season, but it was not I who brought the virus to the United States. ”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz will bring a fully healthy team to Orlando, except for Bojan Bogdanovic, who had surgery on his right wrist last month, coach Quin Snyder tells Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Snyder also expressed support for his players who are advocating for social justice, such as Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson.
- Nuggets guard Monte Morris has used the frustration of sliding in the 2017 draft as incentive to prove he belongs in the NBA, writes Steve Kosmider of the Athletic. Morris was projected as a first-rounder in some circles, but went to Denver with the 51st pick and had to work his way up from a two-way contract. “I was really mad about it,” Morris recalled. “Guys I dominated in college on multiple occasions were getting picked ahead of me. I got hurt during the draft process. I pulled my quad at the Laker workout, which was like my third workout. I still had about 15 workouts to go. I feel like if I had did them I would have moved up. I only worked out for three teams so that may have hurt me, but I still think my resume, doing what I did at Iowa State, should have had me going higher.”
- James Johnson is certain to exercise his $16MM option and remain with the Timberwolves next season, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Johnson provides a veteran presence on a young team and is a vocal leader in the locker room.
James Johnson will exercise his option. As sure as the sun will rise in the East tomorrow morning. Of coarse he’s gonna. About $12 million more than he’s worth at a minimum. Heck of a gig if you can get it. If he doesn’t his family will have him committed to the looney bin.
Projected 40% revenues loss
Whoever overpaid by 10 million a season opt in
Buy out would be good for for everyone
Good to see
Johnson plays for Celtics
Source for the 40% figure? Anyway that is not the capspace loss. The salary caps may not change much.
The Jazz will bring a fully healthy team to Orlando, except for Bojan Bogdanovic, who had surgery on his right wrist last month, coach Quin Snyder tells Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Making an additional comment on team health, Snyder also expressed that the team name, JAZZ, is LAME.
Who brought the virus to the US Rudy? Who?
Who cares? Does it really matter? Indeed it does not!
It matters because the NBA is beholden I’m not saying who, beholden to China. That’s the same reason we won’t see any jerseys with statements on the back regarding Hong Kong or Uyghars. Social justice and political correctness can only extend so far for this league.
A Wuhanite?– if we must use Indo-Euro characters.
Actually most cases of infection in the US came from New York via jets from Europe.
Wuhanese
How did it get to Europe?