Rudy Gobert was the first professional athlete in the United States to be diagnosed with coronavirus, and the Utah Jazz star issued an apology on Thursday for the cavalier attitude he showed toward the illness before he knew he had contracted it.
Gobert thanked fans for their concern in an Instagram post, saying he felt “fear, anxiety, and embarrassment” after being diagnosed with coronavirus. Gobert admitted he was “careless” when mocking the concerns over coronavirus and said he hopes his mistake can serve an educational purpose.
“The first and most important thing is I would like to publicly apologize to the people that I may have endangered. At the time, I had no idea I was even infected,” Gobert wrote. “I was careless and make no excuse. I hope my story serves as a warning and causes everyone to take this seriously. I will do whatever I can to support using my experience as way to educate others and prevent the spread of this virus.”
Gobert tested positive for coronavirus just before tip-off of Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the NBA decided to postpone all regular-season games shortly after that. After Monday’s shootaround, Gobert mocked the coronavirus concerns by touching every microphone and recorder in front of him after he and other players were instructed to meet reporters in the media room as opposed to on the court.
Donovan Mitchell has since also tested positive for coronavirus, but he was the only other Jazz player or staff member who was infected — at least as of Thursday afternoon. Jazz players were reportedly upset with the way Gobert handled himself prior to being diagnosed.
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