The majority of Los Angeles Lakers players were tested for COVID-19 and went into a 14-day quarantine on Wednesday, just a day after it was announced that multiple players on the Brooklyn Nets tested positive for the virus.
LeBron James has shared various videos with fans since the NBA went on hiatus last week—including some major wine drinking. But his latest post profiled some of the struggles of isolation. James put out a video on Instagram where he compared himself to Tom Hanks in the move Castaway, showing off his scruffy, untrimmed beard.
“When they advise you to be quarantined and isolated from [everybody], can’t even get a haircut from my barber. Want me to stay away from him. I’m looking like Tom Hanks off of Castaway,” LeBron told the camera.
He then turned the camera to his wife, who was having some struggles of her own with her hair.
“Gotta do what we gotta do,” James said with a grin.
“I’m looking like @tomhanks off Cast Away.” 🧔
The quarantine life is real for LeBron and his family. (via @KingJames /IG)
James previously tweeted: “Man we cancelling sporting events, school, office work, etc etc. What we really need to cancel is 2020! Damn it’s been a rough 3 months. God bless and stay safe.”
Lakers Rush to Action Following Positive Nets Tests
GettyDanny Green & LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The positive tests for the Nets were announced on Tuesday, with four players—including Kevin Durant—being diagnosed with the virus. The Lakers put a plan in action to have their players tested, as they were the last team to play Brooklyn before the season was suspended.
The four Nets join Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell and Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood as NBAers who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The test were not mandatory for the Lakers, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, who said the majority of players were tested, but no coaches.
“We have been in immediate contact with our players and basketball operations staff members since being made aware of this development,” the Lakers said in a statement. “We are following the next steps of our COVID-19 procedures and protocol that are established in consultation with various health officials, the NBA and our UCLA Health doctors. The health and well-being of our players, staff, fans, and society in general, is of paramount importance to us, and will continue to be our focus.”
Adam Silver Optimistic NBA can Salvage Season
The league has been relatively quiet since calling for the suspension of the season, but commissioner Adam Silver joined ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on Wednesday’s episode of SportsCenter. Silver made it clear that he’s optimistic the season will restart at some point.
“I’m optimistic by nature and I want to believe we can salvage at least some portion of this season,” Silver said, before laying out a few options.
“What are the conditions we need for the league to restart? I would say I’m looking at three different things,” Silver said, per ESPN. “One is, when can we restart and operate as we’ve known it with 19,000 fans in buildings? … Option two is, should we consider restarting without fans, and what would that mean? Because, presumably, if we had a group of players, and staff around them, and you could test them and follow some sort of protocol, doctors and health officials may say it’s safe to play.
“A third option that we are looking at now … the impact on the national psyche of having no sports programming on television. And one of the things we’ve been talking about are, are there conditions in which a group of players could compete — maybe it’s for a giant fundraiser or just the collective good of the people — where you take a subset of players and, is there a protocol where they can be tested and quarantined and isolated in some way, and they could compete against one another?
“Because people are stuck at home, and I think they need a diversion. They need to be entertained.”
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LeBron James Gives Insight Into his Coronavirus Quarantine