The National Basketball Association (NBA) has ended its season early after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert – who made light of the coronavirus scare at a recent press conference – was confirmed to be carrying the disease.

“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the league said in a statement on Wednesday night, adding that it would “use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”

NBA To Suspend Season Following Tonight's Games pic.twitter.com/2PTx2fkLlW — NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2020



Owen and Milo talk about canceled events and the impact on sports games including March Madness.

Gobert, who the league said had “preliminarily tested positive for Covid-19,” has come under fire over a recent press conference, where the player deliberately wiped his hands on journalists’ microphones and recorders before leaving the press event, apparently mocking the intense reaction to the lethal outbreak.

https://twitter.com/RPendergraft/status/1237920409032577024

The stunt has earned Gobert the title of the “dumbest player in NBA history” in some quarters, with outrage quickly lighting up social media over his disregard for a virus the World Health Organization has deemed a global pandemic.

#RudyGobert childishly touched all of the microphones and recorders to mock everyone concerned about the #coronavirus. Tonight, @RudyGobert27 has tested positive for the coronavirus. Dumbest player in #NBA history.#CoronavirusOutbreak #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/UTHGKonxSl — Text FREE WINNER to 702-831-3594 (@SharpPlaysGroup) March 12, 2020

Here’s Rudy Gobert thinking he’s being funny, and really touching on Karma’s mics like she ain’t gonna notice.https://t.co/VmLBYMxf4X — RJ Young (@RJ_Young) March 12, 2020

https://twitter.com/hitmanhunt33/status/1237919643186102272

Anyone that is taking this time to mock Rudy Gobert instead of showing concern for his health, his families , teammates or anyone else, shame on you. I cannot deal with how horrible people can be during times like this. And prayers to my boy @emmanuelmudiay #RudyGobert — Eric Larsen 🎵 #TakeNote (@Elars777) March 12, 2020

The decision to suspend the remainder of the NBA season came after a game between Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed just prior to tipoff, after Gobert’s test came back positive. Though he never entered the arena, players from both teams were immediately quarantined. Athletes on teams that have played matches against Jazz in the past 10 days – including the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors – have also been asked to self-isolate.

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