Earlier this week, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert felt slightly under the weather, but he felt good enough to participate in Monday's team activities.
Afterward, he spoke to the media and ended his press conference by petting all the microphones. He was attempting to make light of the panic surrounding Coronavirus.
According to teammates, Gobert furthered his mockery of the pandemic by high-fiving and joking with others in the locker room. On Wednesday, his health had taken a turn for the worse so he was tested for COVID-19. The results came back positive. This snowballed into an entire NBA schedule change, causing the league to suspend all games until further notice.
Suddenly, what was meant to be a smart-assy prank slammed the brakes on an entire industry. This not only affects other players, it impacts team personnel, venue staff, fans, and families of all those people. Once Gobert realized the severity of his actions, he issued an apology.
He hopes his lack of good judgment can help prevent others from acting so recklessly. Rudy Gobert is expected to make a full recovery.