In Initial Return-To-Market League-Wide Testing Program, 48 NBA Players Tested Positive For COVID-19 Out Of 546

In Initial Return-To-Market League-Wide Testing Program, 48 NBA Players Tested Positive For COVID-19 Out Of 546

The NBA announced on Wednesday the results of their league-wide testing program that was started as teams started to regather to get ready for the fast approaching 2020-21 season start as pre-season games tip off on December 11.

NBA and NBPA Announce COVID-19 Test Results pic.twitter.com/XnUwEAI4TI

— NBPA (@TheNBPA) December 2, 2020

RELATED: ‘The Toughest Year Of My Life’: Karl-Anthony Towns Reflects On 2020, Losing Mom to COVID-19

The tests began between November 24-30, depending on the day that a player returned to the team’s market per the NBA.

Of the 546 players tested for COVID-19 during this initial return-to-market testing phase, 48 have returned positive tests according to the NBA.

The NBA stated that anyone who got a positive test during this initial phase of testing in their team’s market will be isolated “until they are cleared for leaving isolation under the rules established by the NBA and the Players Association in accordance with CDC guidance.”

ESPN story on the NBA laying out Covid-19 protocols on cusp of training camps: https://t.co/ox3KkcEJIf

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 28, 2020

Along with these testing results, on November 28, ESPN reported on how the NBA gave teams a 134-page “Health and Safety Protocol Guide”.

In this guide it says per ESPN: “The occurrence of independent cases or a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the 2020-21 season.”

ESPN also reports that the guide says it’s designed to “promote prevention and mitigation strategies to reduce exposure to, and transmission of, the coronavirus,” but that it is likely some players and staff will contract the virus.

The Hawks’ MLK City Edition court.

(via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/FYAplIm9M4

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 1, 2020

The NBA will now try to have a regular season not in the confines of an Orlando bubble but in games in team’s markets across the country, similar to how other professional leagues have operated. ESPN also reports that this updated document is similar to the one given in the bubble and that:

As NBA organizations begin daily coronavirus testing this weekend and prepare for start of training camps next week, teams were issued a 134-page "Health and Safety Protocol Guide" for the 2020-2021 season this morning, per sources. Now, the NBA tries this outside of a bubble.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 28, 2020

“…like in that first document, the league has constructed a rules system for what will happen when someone tests positive for COVID-19. Under such a scenario, there are two potential paths to return: a “time-based” resolution, and a “test-based” resolution”.

Here’s more info about that:

Per the NBA's health and safety protocols for the 2020-21 season, if someone tests positive for COVID-19 there are two paths to them returning: either going at least 10 days since the first positive test or symptom onset, or having two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 28, 2020

Here’s updates from NBA teams and players as it relates to COVID-19:

Bob Myers says two Warriors players tested positive for COVID-19. Myers says he can't name players who tested positive because of NBA protocols — but it has delayed start of Warriors training camp by a day.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) December 1, 2020

Kawhi says the team is going to gather as a group more this year, go to more dinners together, play games, and do what they can (under COVID restrictions) to be a more cohesive group

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) December 4, 2020

Kendrick Nunn said it took him about three weeks after his COVID-19 diagnosis to get back to NBA game shape last season.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) December 1, 2020

Luka Doncic on a key to contending this season: "Which team is not going to have [COVID-19] positive people."

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 1, 2020

Kyle Kuzma on Luka Doncic's recent comments on the impact of COVID on the NBA this season: "I agree to disagree with it"

— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 3, 2020

Steve Clifford, when asked about Mo Bamba: "There's no real timetable for him to be able to come back and fully participate. I think that he'll be able to do some things that are more organizational and everything. But he's a ways away, and there's no timetable on his return."

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) December 1, 2020

Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns opens up about devastating impact COVID-19 has had on his family. https://t.co/SQECW9jwvU

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) December 5, 2020

And according to USA Today, here’s what Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns, in what’s been “the toughest year of (his) life”, said as the NBA season approaches:

“It’s hard. I’ve lost a lot of family members and people that have raised me that have gotten it. That’s where I have to look back at my life with that person and try to get through that. Just trying my best to keep my family safe just like my mom. Trying to keep my sister, the kids, my dad out of harm’s way and keep my family out of harm’s way.”