The NBA has made clear it is not taking the growing Coronavirus concerns lightly.
The league recently issued a memo recommending players not high-five fans in the interim. The notice came after CJ McCollum said he would not sign autographs because of the outbreak.
The Celtics have addressed it within the organization, as well. But it turns out Marcus Smart was already making adjustments because of the Coronavirus concerns before the NBA and Celtics addressed the matter.
“I don’t sign as many autographs either because of it,” he said. “It’s just tough. Obviously, you want to interact with the fans, but, unfortunately, the safety risks that are involved for not just us but the fans, as well. We want to try to limit it.”
Smart also made a point to hammer home he doesn’t like how he has to approach the situation. But he feels it’s the best course of action given the circumstance.
“The fans, hopefully they’ll understand,” the Celtics guard said. “It’s not malicious. It’s not towards them. It’s just to keep everybody safe.”