NBA Season Called Off Indefinitely Over Coronavirus

The 2019-2020 NBA Season has been called off indefinitely over coronavirus concerns after a player tested positive for the disease.

In a statement, the NBA said that it was forced to suspend the season after the Utah Jazz player tested positive as a way of taking precautions to avoid further spread of the virus.

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

A match between Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was delayed and later suspended after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the covid19 just before tip-off.

“A player on the Utah Jazz preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off,” NBA announced.

Reports from multiple sources revealed that Rudy Gobert could be the infected player but neither Utah nor NBA confirmed these allegations.

Players for both teams were in the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City doing pre-match warm-ups but were later on called to the locker rooms.

According to the NBA, the affected player was not in the arena when he tested positive and the preliminary results came out just before tip-offs.

“At that time, tonight’s game was canceled. The affected player was not in the arena.”

The NBA later decided to call off the last game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings that was scheduled for the same night of Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

NBA confirmed that a referee who was assigned for the New Orleans Pelicans Vs Sacramento Kings’ match had previously manned a Utah Jazz match.

The decision to suspend the NBA season was met with mixed reactions from the entire basketball world with most players, fans and other stakeholders saying it was a right.

“It is really not about basketball or money. This thing is just exploding to the point where all of a sudden, players and owners alike, you think about your family. You want to really make sure you’re doing this the right way. Because now it’s much more personal,” said Dallas owner Mark Cuban

The suspension of sporting events and leagues is now the main dish on the menu for sports officials as concerns of the Coronavirus continue to mount.

Soccer events and Summer Olympics have also felt the effects of the coronavirus as they risk being canceled if the virus is not contained in due time.

According to CBS News, as of Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at least 116,000 coronavirus cases were reported globally with about 4000 deaths.64, 000 people have recovered from the infection.

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