Almost immediately after reports surfaced Wednesday night that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19, many people observed how he had been careless after a Monday press conference in touching a number of items of audio equipment, notwithstanding the fact he did not know at the time that he was infected.
On Thursday morning when ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell had also tested positive, he noted that “Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings.”
Wojnarowski went into more detail on ESPN’s First Take Thursday, and then on Thursday afternoon, Gobert posted an apologetic message on Instagram.
“I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of concern and support over the last 24 hours,” he wrote. “I have gone through so many emotions since learning of my diagnosis…mostly fear, anxiety, and embarrassment. The first and most important thing is I would like to publicly apologize to the people that I may have endangered. At the time, I had no idea I was even infected. I was careless and make no excuse. I hope my story serves as a warning and causes everyone to take this seriously. I will do whatever I can to support using my experience as way to educate others and prevent the spread of this virus. I am under great care and will fully recover. Thank you again for all your support. I encourage everyone to take all of the steps to stay safe and healthy. Love.”