NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Says Significant COVID-19 Spread ‘May Lead Us To Stopping’ Play
Jun 26, 2020, 2:25 PM | Updated: 2:28 pm
Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Adam Silver speaks during a press conference prior to the preseason game between Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors at Saitama Super Arena on October 08, 2019 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
(Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that a “significant spread” of COVID-19 during the league’s restart of play “may lead us to stopping” the season.
On Friday, June 26, Silver spoke with reporters shortly after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced a finalized plan to restart the 2019-20 season beginning on July 30 in Orlando, Florida.
The commissioner’s comments arrived after the state of Florida announced a single-day record with 8,942 cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Florida’s previous record of cases in a day was 5,511 on June 24.
“We designed our campus to isolate ourselves from whatever the level of cases was in the surrounding community,” Silver said.
He acknowledged the level of concern has increased as case numbers have risen.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 26, 2020
During the conference call, Silver said one player testing positive for the virus during the league’s restart won’t halt play. However, Silver acknowledged that league and health officials haven’t drawn a line on what would happen if a “significant spread” were to occur.
Adam Silver says that any one positive test, no matter the player, won't stop things from continuing. He says the league is discussing with health officials and the players what would happen in an instance of "significant spread" but that "that line hasn't been set yet."
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 26, 2020
Earlier on Friday, the NBA and NBPA announced that 16 players tested positive for the coronavirus disease after 302 players were tested on Tuesday, June 23.
NBA Players who’ve tested positive for COVID-19
Since March 11, a number of NBA players, coaches, and other personnel have been reported to have tested positive or announced themselves that they tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
- 16 unnamed NBA players
- Positive tests announced on June 26
- Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat
- Positive test reported on June 25
- Alex Len, Sacramento Kings
- Positive test reported on June 24
- Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings
- Positive test reported on June 24
- Jabari Parker, Sacramento Kings
- Positive test reported on June 24
- Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers
- Positive test announced on June 24
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Positive test reported on June 23
- Two players on the Phoenix Suns
- Diagnosis reported on June 23
- Four players on a Western Conference team
- Diagnosis reported on June 23
- Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets head coach
- Positive test and recovery announced on June 15
- James Dolan, New York Knicks owner
- Positive test announced on March 28, cleared on April 22
- Two players on the Los Angeles Lakers
- Diagnosis reported on March 19, free of symptoms on March 31
- Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
- Positive test announced on March 19, cleared on March 30
- Three members of the Philadelphia 76ers
- Positive tests announced on March 19
- Kevin Durant and three teammates on the Brooklyn Nets
- Positive test announced on March 17, free of symptoms on April 1
- Christian Wood, Detroit Pistons
- Positive test reported on March 14, cleared on March 26)
- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
- Positive test reported on March 12, cleared on March 27)
- Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
- Positive test reported on March 11, cleared on March 27)
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NBA and Coronavirus
The NBA has been at the forefront of the sporting world since the coronavirus pandemic halted the league’s play in March. After Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 on March 11, the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season. Since then, the league has been working towards a return to play in order to finish the regular season, hold a postseason, and crown a champion.
As the NBA has been ramping up its plans for a restart of the regular season, the league has reportedly been expecting additional positive COVID-19 tests as players returned to the markets of their teams in recent days.
As coronavirus testing for players heading to Orlando starts today, teams are bracing for significant numbers of positive tests. One Western Conference playoff team had four positives in past few weeks, per sources. Full training camps start on July 11 at Disney.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
The NBA’s expectations were confirmed as news of the 16 positive tests was revealed on Friday, June 26.
The Players Association (NBPA) reportedly sent players a health and safety manual the league developed in regards to the restart of play.
According to multiple reports, the document is 113 pages detailing health and safety protocols. The word “testing” appears 282 times in the manual.
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Details Of NBA’s Proposed Restart
The NBA season will restart with 22 teams finishing the regular season in a bubble environment at Disney World in Orlando, Florida beginning on July 30.
Games will be played at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
The NBA has reportedly assigned Disney hotels to those teams based on seeding.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Utah Jazz will stay at the Gran Destino Tower, which is a part of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Part of the bubble environment will include hotel amenities, 24-hour VIP concierge, and other entertainment, Charania tweeted.
NBA players will reportedly be allowed to “attend other games” as well.
Coronavirus Resources
- Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
- What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
- What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
- Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
- The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
- Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?
How Do I Prevent It?
The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:
- Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
How To Get Help
If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.
Additional Resources
If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.
