It has been one full month since Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 and became the NBA’s patient zero, and the Utah Jazz center has since apologized multiple times for the cavalier attitude he showed toward the disease before he contracted it. That does not appear to be enough for fellow Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell also tested positive for the coronavirus, and he seemed to take a swipe at Gobert when providing an update about his condition a couple of days later. Gobert infamously mocked the concerns about coronavirus by touching every microphone and recorder in front of him two days before he tested positive, and his teammates were understandably bothered by it. The Athletic published a behind-the-scenes look on Friday at the days surrounding Gobert’s positive test, and the story cited sources who claim Mitchell still has not forgiven Gobert.
Sources told The Athletic that Mitchell has been reluctant to work on relieving the tension between him and Gobert, with one insider saying the relationship between the two players “doesn’t appear salvageable.”
That could change, of course, and Jazz forward Joe Ingles seems confident that it will.
“I’m confident our team is going to be totally fine,” Ingles said. “I heard Donovan’s response (on GMA), or whatever it was, to that question, and a part of that is on Donovan and Rudy to sort out if he’s frustrated with him or whatever. But I have no doubt when we go back to training, or when our season starts again, our team is going to be what we have been and what we are. … I’m confident our team will be completely fine. The chemistry will be fine.”
The interview Ingles was referring to was when Mitchell appeared on “Good Morning America” on March 16 and said it took a while for him to “cool off” after the way Gobert acted.
It can’t be proven that Gobert passed the coronavirus to Mitchell, but Gobert visited with family from France not long before he tested positive. Mitchell obviously feels he contracted COVID-19 from Gobert, and you can understand why.
Quin Snyder spoke with players at length about the coronavirus before Gobert tested positive, with some reportedly feeling the Jazz coach was being overly cautious. It’s safe to assume Gobert was among those who believed Snyder was being too paranoid, but Gobert is clearly remorseful and has tried to do what he can to help others who are impacted by the coronavirus.
