Stories have been circulating about a possible rift between Jazz teammates Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert after both players tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. A source confirms to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune that Mitchell is “frustrated” with Gobert’s irresponsible actions regarding the virus, but the organization believes the situation can be repaired.
Gobert has admitted to being “careless” in the days before a test confirmed that he had contracted COVID-19. However, even though Gobert was diagnosed first, Larsen points out that because symptoms of the virus aren’t always apparent right away, it’s possible that Gobert caught it from Mitchell or that both contracted it from someone else.
Larsen cites a report from ESPN’s Zach Lowe on his Lowe Post podcast expressing similar confidence that any hard feelings between the two players can be resolved. “My feeling from the Jazz and talking to people there is that I think once everyone takes a deep breath, that this will be okay,” said Lowe, adding that he saw several other players over the past two weeks who weren’t taking the virus seriously.
There’s more tonight from Utah:
- Mitchell tweeted a video update on his condition today, thanking fans for their support and telling them that he’s doing well. “Just taking the proper precautions,” he said. “I’ve been told by the health authorities that I’ve got to stay in isolation. So I’m solo in here, playing video games all day. Can’t wait to get out there on the floor and play in front of the best fans in the world. I really miss playing in front of you guys.”
- No special treatment was given to the Jazz when they received 58 coronavirus testing kits Wednesday night, an official from the Oklahoma State Department of Health tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The kits were available and the choice to test everyone with a connection to the team was “a public health decision” based on their contact with Gobert.
- Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune writes about the experience of being quarantined in the wake of Gobert’s positive test. Walden was present at Monday’s media session and sent out a light-hearted tweet after Gobert touched every microphone and digital recorder in front of him.
I can’t understand why would Mitchell be frustrated with Rudy in any way, shape or form. I mean who know who infected who that is that but also I mean I don’t go falling out with my wife or asking for a divorce every time she gives me the cold or the flu, or vice versa, blaming someone for something is the worst trait of human society, I mean at the end of the day who cares who started it, how or anything else, just move on sort the problem, blaming people never ever sorts anything, rolling up your sleeves & solving a problem, well that works, right?
Oh come on. It sure has been fun blaming “Typhoid Rudy” for this entire saga. I mean without him, none of this would have happened, right?
They’re going to both have colds so it’ll be fine. Blame the media for the unnecessary hysterics.
Maybe the media is to blame. He could have got it from touching all those microphones.
He sure didn’t get it all on his own. It came from somewhere.
Who cares were it came from? Do you care who gives you the cold every year, or a tummy bug? Can’t stop what you can’t control so stop blaming, no one is to blame but the virus itself.
No point in playing the blame game, focus in solving the problem not pinpointing who did it, totally pointless if you ask me.
That’s just coping, not really thinking.
Agree the timeline for the Jazz players getting infected does not really matter regarding guilt, but only because relative guilt is driven by intent not infection.
Nobody is “guilty” of breathing out or even touching, that is normal and society is large. Forgive yourself but don’t flaunt your cooties like Gobert, since covid19 might be hiding there.
A flu is going to go around, but this one must be slowed by summer because ITS DANGER MAKES IT DIFFERENT. It’s like it was engineered to be the worst.
Gobert is Elaine from Seinfeld when she rubs her hands and body all over her germaphobe coworker’s stuff haha
It’s better than being Kramer and bathing with the food.