Donovan Mitchell on Monday provided a fascinating update on his COVID-19 recovery.
The Utah Jazz guard tested positive last week for the new coronavirus, which has caused a global pandemic and a total upending of United States sports. Mitchell, fellow Jazz star Rudy Gobert and Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood are the only NBA players thus far who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Mitchell all along has insisted he hasn’t displayed any symptoms of the virus, and he reiterated that point Monday morning during an interview with “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts.
“I’m fine. Things are going well, just in isolation. No fever, no symptoms. Blessed to okay,” Mitchell said. “If you were to tell me you have to play in a seven-game series tomorrow, I’m ready to lace ’em up.
“I don’t have any symptoms. If it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn’t know it. … You may seem fine, be fine, you never know who you may be talking to who you might be going home to.”
EXCLUSIVE: “I think that’s the scariest part about this virus is that you may seem fine.” @NBA star @spidadmitchell speaks out for the first time from isolation since being diagnosed with COVID-19, despite being “asymptomatic.” https://t.co/i9rZzYvW4s pic.twitter.com/wZJBteQjtV
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 16, 2020
Many have criticized Gobert for reportedly behaving recklessly before his positive test. The 27-year-old Frenchman has apologized, but said apology apparently wasn’t a cure-all for Mitchell, who appeared to take a shot at his teammate in a recent Instagram post.
“To be honest with you, it took me a while to kinda cool off,” Mitchell told Roberts. “I read what (Gobert) said, heard what he said. Glad he’s doing okay, glad I’m doing well. I’m just really happy that it was only two of us. It wasn’t the rest of the (team). Neither him or I have children at home.
“I know some teammates who have children at home, some staff who have children at home. I’m glad we were able to contain it as much as possible.”