Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell ready to ‘move forward,’ Utah Jazz executive says
(CNN) — The Utah Jazz became one of the most talked-about teams when Rudy Gobert tested positive for Covid-19 on March 11.
It caused the NBA to cancel the Jazz’s game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City that night and led to a suspension of league play — and a ripple effect around the sports landscape. Gobert’s teammate, Donovan Mitchell, subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, causing tension between the two players.
But now, according to a team executive, both Gobert and Mitchell — two very important players on the Jazz — are ready to “move forward.”
“They’re ready to put this behind them and move forward and act professionally,” Utah Jazz executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey said to reporters Tuesday. “We’re very pleased with the collective makeup of our group, Donovan and Rudy in particular, and we look forward to moving forward. They’ve both visited at the ownership level, management level, coaches level.”
As Gobert was leaving a media event on March 9, before he was diagnosed with coronavirus, he touched every microphone and recorder in front of him in jest, which led to backlash. After his diagnosis, Gobert issued a public apology on Instagram on March 12.
“I wish I would have taken this thing more seriously,” Gobert said March 15.
On ABC’s “Good Morning America” on March 16, Mitchell said regarding Gobert: “It took a while for me to kind of cool off.”
Both players have since recovered from the virus.