NBA Suspends Season After Rudy Gobert Tests Positive for Coronavirus

And now COVID-19 comes for the famous people.

The NBA season has been suspended as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, marking just the latest disruption to life as we know it.

The call came from the league as a result of Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert testing positive for COVID-19. (Though he wasn't explicitly named in the league's statement, sources told ESPN that Gobert was the player in question.)

The Jazz was set to play Oklahoma City Thunder today, but the game was cancelled just prior to tip-off, despite the crowd having already been seated. (Gobert wasn’t there at all.) The players were then quarantined in the OKC arena.

All other teams that faced the Jazz over the past 10 days—including the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons and the Toronto Raptors—are being asked to self-quarantine.

Video of OKC’s team doctor rushing out on the court to stop the Jazz-Thunder game before tip-off. pic.twitter.com/9VLx0VoD3L

— Hoop Vault™️ (@HoopsVauIt) March 12, 2020

Adding to the concern was a joke played by Gobert on Monday, when, for some reason, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year touched all the microphones at a press conference.

With all further games in the season suspended, the NBA says they will "use this hiatus to determine next steps". It’s a remarkable escalation considering that, just last week, LeBron James was blowing off the idea of potentially playing for empty stadiums (though he later softened his position).

However, Gobert is not the most famous person to claim coronavirus thus far. It was revealed today that Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have also tested positive in Australia.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump put a ban on all travel between the US and Europe (excluding the UK) for 30 days, beginning Friday. It came after the World Health Organisation officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Anyway, during this confusing time, we'll give the final word to Kevin Durant, who was sitting out the season with an injury anyway.

Header Image: Omar Rawlings via Getty Images