Inside The Thunder

Jazz Center Rudy Gobert Not Fully Recovered From COVID-19

Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert says he still has issues smelling since contracting COVID-19 in March.

Erik Gee

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert says he still hasn't fully recovered from COVID-19. Gobert tested positive for the virus back in March while the Jazz was in Oklahoma City.  

Gobert tells L'Equipe, "The taste has returned, but the smell is still not 100%. I can smell the smells, but not from afar."..." I spoke to specialists, who told me that it could take up to a year."

The night Gobert and the Jazz were scheduled to play the Thunder, he  was listed questionable, and teammate  Emmanuel Mudiay was out both with "an undisclosed illness." Gobert, according to reports, started showing symptoms after making a joke during a media session about COVID-19, then touching all the microphones and recorders left on the table. 

There were also reports that Gobert was careless inside the Jazz locker room touching his teammates' items and continuing to give them high fives despite warnings about the virus spreading. Once it was confirmed that Gobert had coronavirus NBA commissioner, Adam Silver made the call to suspend not only that night's game but the season as well. 

Gobert's teammate Donovan Mitchell also tested positive, which lead to an icy relationship between the two All-Stars. Although they are said to be on good terms now, you have to wonder about the lasting effects of Gobert's actions. 

As the number of cases continues to spike in Florida, the NBA is preparing to resume its season in Orlando. The association conducted 302 COVID-19 test last week, with 16 players coming up positive.

 Protocols are in place to keep players and staff as safe as possible while they are at Disney, but it's a safe bet there will be those that end up in quarantine. The Jazz and Thunder are set to tip-off August 1st in Oklahoma City's first game back since March 11th; the night sports shut down.   

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Erik Gee
ERIK GEE

With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa. 

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