NBA Coronavirus: 48 Players Test Positive During Initial Preseason Results

Of 546 NBA players tested for COVID-19 between Nov. 24-30, 48 of them came up positive, the league and Players Association announced on Wednesday.

That 8.8% positive rate is lower than the 10.2% seven-day national U.S. average as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The league said in a release that anyone who’s registered a confirmed positive test will isolate until they are cleared in accordance with CDC guidance. Among those 48 positive tests are two from the Golden State Warriors, team general manager Bob Myers disclosed on Tuesday.

Emails I sent to the NBA over the last seven days regarding how the league would handle the coronavirus outside a bubble went unanswered. It’s going to challenging for the NBA or any league attempting to operate outside a bubble while COVID-19 runs roughshod over the United States. The league will attempt to have its 30 teams travel all over the country for a 72-game regular season in the dead of winter, which will be a very tall task.

NBA training camps are expected to begin next week before an abbreviated preseason schedule leading up to opening night on Dec. 22.