FACT CHECK: Did Utah Jazz Player Emmanuel Mudiay Test Positive For Coronavirus?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

An image shared on Facebook more than 550 times claims that Utah Jazz basketball player Emmanuel Mudiay tested positive for COVID-19.

Verdict: False

While two of his teammates did test positive for the new coronavirus, Mudiay confirmed in a March 12 tweet that he had received negative test results.

Fact Check:

The NBA suspended the 2019-2020 season on March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert became the first player to test positive for COVID-19, according to The New York Times. (RELATED: Did Lebron James Wear A ‘Same Crime’ Protest T-Shirt?)

The Basketball Updates Facebook page posted an image the following day falsely claiming Mudiay, a teammate of Gobert and a point guard on the Jazz, had also tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. In fact, Mudiay tweeted March 12 that he tested negative.

“Firstly, thanks to everyone for the positive words. Yesterday I got tested for the Covid-19 virus. By God’s grace it came out negative,” he tweeted. “Despite my teammates and I taking necessary precautions, it didn’t turn out as expected. To my guys @spidadmitchell @rudygobert27, God speed.”

The Jazz tested all its traveling players and personnel as a precaution after Gobert reportedly touched teammates and their belongings in the locker room, according to CBS Sports. On March 12, guard Donovan Mitchell confirmed that he too had tested positive for COVID-19. Mitchell was the only other person in the Jazz’s traveling party to test positive, per The Athletic reporter Shams Charania.

“Sources: Donovan Mitchell was the only Jazz player/personnel to test positive for coronavirus out of 58 tests administered on Wednesday night,” he tweeted. “Remaining tests came back negative.”

At least seven NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19, including Brooklyn Nets player Kevin Durant and Detroit Pistons player Christian Wood, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Lakers players were tested for the virus outside their practice facility on March 18, per CBS Sports, and results have not yet come in at the time of publication.

The Utah Jazz did not respond to a request for comment.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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