Pistons’ Christian Wood Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Getty Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus, as reported by The Athletic NBA insider Shams Charania, who tweeted out the news on Saturday. Charania revealed the news while citing his recent matchup with Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who was the first NBA player diagnosed.

“Detroit Pistons‘ Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium Wood had 30 and 11 rebounds against Rudy Gobert on Saturday night before a career-high 32 on Wednesday. Sources say Wood has shown no symptoms and is doing well.”

Charania followed his tweet by saying, “This marks the third positive test for coronavirus in the NBA — and the first franchise besides Gobert’s and Donovan Mitchell’s in Utah. Wood has had a career season and is in line for a strong free-agent contract.”

Wood, who’s 25 years old, played college basketball at the University of Nevada Las Vegas before entering the NBA Draft in 2015. Before joining the Pistons, he spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, and the New Orleans Pelicans.

On March 7, Wood and the Pistons played a home game against Utah Jazz, where despite Wood’s stellar performance, the team fell 111-105. During this matchup, the Pistons were playing against Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, both of whom have since tested positive for coronavirus.

According to StatMuse, it’s not just the teams the Utah Jazz recently played against that are at risk for catching the pandemic COVID-19, it’s all the teams, and everyone they’ve come in contact with lately. This fact is a huge reason the NBA decided to suspend the 2019-20 season for at least 30 days.

The Pistons played their final game against the 76ers before the suspension started on March 11, where they took a loss 124-106. Afterward, Pistons coach Dwane Casey spoke out on the matter.

Casey said of his team, “They’re all concerned and rightfully so. Everyone in our league should be concerned. But everybody in our country, more than just basketball, we all have families—I’m concerned with my family, my kids and so we all have to take care of ourselves and look out for our fellow man.”


Fans Are Still Awaiting Word on the Coronavirus Test Results for Charles Barkley


Former NBA legend Charles Barkley announced that he’s being tested for COVID-19, but he hasn’t received the results as of Saturday evening.

Barkley, 57, called into TNT’s Inside the NBA on Thursday and said that he’s self-quarantined himself after feeling ill. During the live interview, he told host Ernie Johnson that until he receives the results, everything remains “in limbo.”

“I spent the earlier part of the week in New York City, and when I got to Atlanta I wasn’t feeling well,” Barkley said. “I talked to a couple of people at Turner and a couple of doctors and they told me to self-quarantine for the next 48 hours. I started yesterday; this is my second day. I haven’t been feeling great and I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“They told me to self-quarantine for 48 hours. I went and took the coronavirus test late this afternoon; I have not gotten the results back. I’m just kind of in limbo right now… I’m really hoping it was just a bug.”

READ NEXT: ESPN During Coronavirus: What Sports Will Air On March 14?