Rudy Gobert, who became the first NBA player to test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, has published an Instagram post confirming the diagnosis.
Within the post, Gobert apologized for his carelessness in potentially endangering those around him. The All-Star Jazz center mockingly touched all the microphones and recorders in front of him following a Monday media session. According to a report from ESPN, Jazz players were also privately saying that Gobert exhibited “a cavalier attitude toward the virus in the locker room, touching teammates and their belongings.”
“I have gone through so many emotions since learning of my diagnosis,” Gobert wrote. “Mostly fear, anxiety, and embarrassment. 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. I was careless and make no excuse.
“I hope my story serves as a warning and causes everyone to take this seriously,” he continued. “I will do whatever I can to support using my experience as way to educate others and prevent the spread of this virus.”
Sources told Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic that Gobert has been around people who recently traveled to the U.S. from France, but there’s “no clear determination” on how or when he contracted COVID-19. His teammate Donovan Mitchell also tested positive for the virus, as we detailed earlier today.
He certainly should be embarrassed by the way he was acting
i really don’t know if i’ll be able to forgive him for what he did to be honest, (I personally think that given the fact that this idiot’s (sorry but that’s really the ONLY way i can put my feelings about this) SHEER STUPIDITY has shut down NOT JUST THE NBA, BUT THE ENTIRE AMERICAN SPORTS WORLD, I really think Adam SIlver should consider banning him for life from the NBA for his actions. I know that some of you will say it would be way too harsh since he has apologized, but that doesn’t change what he did does it?
that’s for damn sure!
NOW all he has to do is donate to charity and all is forgiven IMO.
Often, people ask me if I donate some of my event’s proceeds to charity.
I don’t even know her.
Hopefully he really has learned something and this is not just simply lip service and PR. And hopefully people that watched him act in a reckless manner learned something as well. If so, maybe some good can come from this.
Good for him. He acted like a man and apologized for his behavior. Now people need to forgive him and move on. We all make mistakes but a real man will admit it and apologize for it. i respect Gobert for that.
Damn the French.
Yeah his stupidity was made public so he was forced to acknowledge it. What a man.
yeah, sometimes an apology isnt enough. good on him for doing it, but what he did was so clearly stupid that an apology doesnt quite do it.
You didn’t endanger anyone, it’s literally the common cold. No need to apologize, Rudy.
It’s literally not the common cold, it’s a novel disease about which we know very little. Being proactive in preventing its spread is a good idea.
Coronaviruses do cause a small percentage of common colds but this one has several mutations that have lead to an increase in transmissibility and lethality. Currently, 10x more deadly than than the seasonal flu. There are no stats on deaths from the common cold. If everyone in the US was infected about 10 million people would die…the flu would kill 1 million under the same circumstances.
Just curious, why you think you know more than than literally every health organization in the world?
That’s some impressive hubris.
Gummy Bears make you a smart guy!
So, Coronavirus is a writer. I love Hemingway and Neil Gaiman. How does the virus compare.
There is nothing common about this virus. When was the last time the “common” cold shut down sports worldwide. Think before you post.
Gobert had the same opinion many idiotic commenters on this site still have.
How a person can make this about themselves in this time of a global crisis is beyond delusion. Like, your mind is broken if you think because people you dont like are panicking, that means you need to do the opposite. This bullheaded mentality is going to kill us all.
Yes, we will all be dead soon. Until then, let’s blame our impending death on Rudy Gobert.
Soon is a relative term, in the grand scene sure we are all succumbing to senescence. Day by day closer to becoming detritus. However, Rudy Gobert has affixed himself to a pivotal point in Coronavirus history, the events of his diagnosis is akin to the Franz Ferdinand-esque cause and effect of WWI. The immediate shutdown of sports nationally and other communal gatherings can be pinpointed to his diagnosis. When did the US start to take this seriously? Last night when the NBA suspended the season.
I agree. Rudy Gobert has killed us all.
I thought you were about to compare rudy to the james cole character in 12 monkeys.
EXACTLY!!!!
Chill lol
I feel bad for the dude but it’s not like he’s the only one that has it now .. still piss the season is over but that’s just bc I have no other fun things to do but watch the games now what
If anyone else acted like a 9 year old at a Beavis and Butthead convention, all of you would be talking smack.
Yet a grown millionaire in the NBA does it and it’s no thing. Not to mention it involves a pandemic.
Rad.
R u talking about hoarding tp? TP for my bunghole? People should stop eating so much.