Donovan Mitchell Speaks Out About Coronavirus Diagnosis, Says 'Things Are Going Well' in Isolation
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Donovan Mitchell is letting fans know how he is doing after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
During an appearance on Good Morning America Monday, the Utah Jazz player revealed while he tested positive for the virus last week, he has yet to experience any symptoms.
“I’m fine, things are going well, just in isolation. Got a unique set-up, but no fever, no symptoms as of right now. I’m just blessed to be able to be ok,” he told GMA anchor Robin Roberts. “Right now, just the biggest thing for me is to stay in isolation and just keep to myself, you know. I have no symptoms, which is a unique situation.”
“I keep making a joke when people ask me, I say, ‘If you were to tell me I’m about to play in a seven-game series tomorrow, I’m ready to lace-up,'” Mitchell added. “So, like I said, I’m really blessed that’s the case.”
While the NBA star said he’s grateful that he has yet to feel ill from the virus, he noted that it should be a warning to others about maintaining social distancing, explaining that people can be infected and spread the virus without knowing it.
RELATED: Donovan Mitchell Becomes Second Utah Jazz Player to Test Positive for Coronavirus
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“I’m asymptomatic, you know, I don’t have any symptoms. I could walk down the street if it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick,” Mitchell said. “You wouldn’t know it. I think that’s the scariest part about this virus, is that you can seem fine, be fine, and you never know who you may be talking to and who they’re going home to.”
He also recalled what the testing process was like, telling Roberts that it was the “most discomfort” he’d ever felt.
“For me it was a swab down the throat,” Mitchell explained. “It was about 15 seconds of probably the most discomfort I’ve ever had and I ended up crying, like tears falling from my eyes. It was definitely unique, but I’m glad I was able to get it done.”
Mitchell was the second Jazz player to be diagnosed with the virus. The first was teammate Rudy Gobert, who came under fire for making light of the ongoing pandemic by touching reporters’ microphones and recorders in an exaggerated manner just days before he was tested positive for COVID-19.
Gobert has since addressed his “careless” behavior, which surfaced in a video online, and publicly apologized to “the people that I may have endangered.”
“I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of concern and support over the last 24 hours. I have gone through so many emotions since learning of my diagnosis…mostly fear, anxiety, and embarrassment,” the athlete wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “The first and most important thing is I would like to publicly apologize to the people that I may have endangered. At the time, I had no idea I was even infected.”
When asked whether Mitchell had spoken to Gobert since they were both diagnosed with the virus, the shooting guard admitted that “it took a while for me to kind of cool-off.”
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“I read what he said and I’m glad he’s doing ok, and I’m glad I’m doing well,” Mitchell said. “I’m really happy, to be honest, that it’s just — I hate to say this — two of us, but it wasn’t the whole party. At the end of the day, neither him or I have children at home. I know some teammates that have children and some staff that have children at home. So I’m glad that we were able to kind of contain it as much as possible.”
While in isolation, Mitchell said he’s been occupying himself with movies and even watching some of his past basketball highlight reels from college and the NBA.
“It kind of brings back good memories but you miss the game,” the athlete said. “You miss playing in front of some of the best fans in the world in the NBA.”
In response to the global pandemic and Gobert’s positive testing, the NBA announced last week that they would be suspending the rest of their season.
As of Monday, only three NBA players are reported to have tested positive for the virus — Gobert, Mitchell and Detroit Pistons center Christian Wood, who came in contact with Gobert during an NBA game prior to their testing on Saturday, March 7.
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