Two Los Angeles Lakers players have tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced on Thursday.
Players were given the option of being tested on Wednesday morning, and 14 did. However, the full team has yet to be tested according to multiple reports.
The Lakers decided to test their players after it was announced that four Brooklyn Nets players, including Kevin Durant, had tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday. The Lakers played the Nets on Tuesday, March 10 at Staples Center before the NBA was suspended.
Players were tested at the team's practice facility in El Segundo, and all of them stayed in their cars as a test was administered via a cotton swab through the nose. The test took a total of 10 seconds to conduct.
The team released the following statement on Thursday afternoon:
"Following four Brooklyn Nets players testing positive for COVID-19, because Los Angeles Lakers’ players were exposed to them during our game against the Nets on March 10, our team physicians and public health officials recommended coronavirus testing for the players.
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"We learned today that two Lakers players have tested positive. Both players are currently asymptomatic, in quarantine and under the care of the team’s physician.
"All players and members of the Lakers staff are being asked to continue to observe self-quarantine and shelter at home guidelines, closely monitor their health, consult with their personal physicians and maintain constant communication with the team.
"The health and well-being of our players, our organization, our fans, and all those potentially impacted by this situation is paramount. As always, we appreciate the support of our fans, family and friends, and wish everyone affected by this virus a speedy recovery."
The team did not immediately name the players, but mentioned in the statement that both players are asymptomatic, and are self-quarantined at home. None of the Lakers' coaches and staff were reportedly tested.
The two Lakers' join a growing list of NBA players who have tested positive for the coronavirus. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert is the first known player to test positive, prompting the cancellation of a game between the Jazz and Thunder in Oklahoma City just seconds before tip-off on Wednesday, March 11.
Hours later, the NBA suspended the season, and the entirety of the Jazz team was tested. All-Star Donovan Mitchell tested positive and Detroit Pistons center Christian Wood also tested positive after playing against Gobert in the days prior.
On Thursday, the Athletic reported that three members of the Philadelphia 76ers organization had tested positive for COVID-19, it is unknown if any of them are players. Later in the day, the Boston Celtics announced that one of their players had also tested positive for COVID-19 and was in self-quarantine.
Within hours of the announcement, Celtics' guard Marcus Smart, took to Twitter to announce that he was the player that had tested positive and cautioned everyone to take the pandemic seriously, practice social distancing, and plead for more tests "ASAP."
