2 NBA Stars, Nikola Jokic and Malcolm Brogdon, Test Positive for the Coronavirus
Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic both tested positive for the coronavirus, but they are both planning to play in the upcoming NBA season in Orlando.
Malcolm Brogdon tested positive Wednesday, and he has reportedly been self quarantining. In a statement he issued, he wrote that he is “doing well, feeling well and progressing well.” He also wrote that he plans on joining his teammates in Orlando for the remainder of the regular season and the postseason.
The Pacers are currently in 5th place in the Western Conference and they will need Brogdon to perform if they want to succeed. Brogdon, who was the rookie of the year in 2017, leads the Pacers with 7 assists per game, and he also averaged 16 points per game during the the regular season.
In addition to Brogdon, another NBA star tested positive for COVID-19 this week, All-Star Nikola Jokic. However, his situation is very different from Brogdon’s. This is because Jokic is currently in Serbia. He is said to have got the virus while hanging out with fellow Serbian, and tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who also tested positive.
While Jokic is asymptomatic, according to NBA travel guidelines he still needs to receive two negative tests before he is allowed to travel. Once he receives those tests, he will need to undergo a cardiac screening in Denver before he can enter the bubble in Orlando.
Jokic plays a huge role for the Nuggets, who are currently in 3rd place in the Western Conference. He averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists this season, and he leads the team in all three of those fields. For the Nuggets to have a chance in a stacked Western Conference they will need him.
Both of these players are recovering from the coronavirus and are likely to return in time for the end of the season, however, we are getting closer and closer to the season in Orlando, so players that get COVID-19 now, might not be able to play.
