Coronavirus updates: NBA players, Von Miller, other sports figures who tested positive for COVID-19

Tom Gatto

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Coronavirus updates: NBA players, Von Miller, other sports figures who tested positive for COVID-19 image

The sports world has been affected by the global coronavirus pandemic in a significant way, with multiple cancellations of events and delays of seasons.

In terms of personal impact, a handful athletes and other personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, while others (basketball legend Charles Barkley, for one) are or were tested.

Sporting News will track the sports figures who have tested positive for the respiratory disease that has killed thousands of people worldwide. The current list appears below.

Von Miller

The Broncos pass-rusher and MVP of Super Bowl 50 confirmed his diagnosis April 16 after his agent leaked the news. Miller told Denver 9News reporter Mike Klis he wasn't "feeling sick or hurting or anything like that," although he was just in the beginning stages of his quarantine.

Sean Payton

The Saints coach is the first known NFL figure to test positive. He told ESPN of his condition on March 19. It wasn't immediately clear how or when Payton contracted COVID-19.

Payton, 56, took a test Monday and received his results Thursday after not feeling well Sunday. He does not have a fever or a cough but is experiencing fatigue. He will be quarantined at home through the weekend. The report notes Payton is "upbeat and optimistic about a full recovery."

Payton told New Orleans radio station WWL on March 25 that he has been medically "cleared" and been without a fever for more than a week. Allen said he lost his senses of taste and smell in addition to suffering other symptoms such as soreness and fatigue. LA coach Sean McVay told the team's website that the Rams closed their facility after Allen told them he was sick. 

Brian Allen

The Rams center is the first NFL player known to test positive for COVID-19. He told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer on April 15 that he tested positive twice but was about to be cleared by doctors. 

Kevin Durant among four Nets players to test positive

Four players on the Nets' active roster tested positive for COVID-19, the team revealed March 17, bringing the NBA's leaguewide cases to seven. All but one of the players were asymptomatic, the team said, declining to reveal their identities.

Following the team's announcement, Kevin Durant told The Athletic's Shams Charania he tested positive but is "feeling fine."

Brooklyn last played a game against the Lakers in Los Angeles on March 10.

Knicks and Rangers owner James Dolan

The Knicks announced March 28 that Dolan was under self-isolation but experiencing little to no symptoms. The team told ESPN on April 22 that Dolan had recovered and was donating blood plasma for medical trials.

Marcus Smart tests positive

Celtics guard Marcus Smart announced via Twitter on Thursday that he tested positive for COVID-19. Smart said he was tested five days prior and had been self-quarantining since.

Two Lakers players test positive

Two players on the Lakers' roster tested positive for COVID-19, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Not everyone on the team was tested, but they may be soon after these results.

UPDATE: The Lakers reported March 31 that no players were showing symptoms after a 14-day quarantine.

Three members of 76ers test positive

The 76ers released a statement on Thursday saying that it tested "players, coaches and specific basketball operations support staff," for COVID-19, and three of the tests came back positive. It was not specified whether the positive tests came from players, coaches or staff.

Doris Burke

The ESPN NBA analyst said on a podcast with ESPN NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski that she received her test result on March 25, eight days after being tested. She added that she is now "feeling well." Burke said she became suspicious after feeling extreme fatigue and suffering severe headaches beginning on March 11. 

Nuggets employee

The Nuggets on Thursday said "a member of the organization" tested positive for COVID-19. It wasn't immediately clear whether that person was a player or team employee. If it is a player, he would become the eighth NBA player to test positive for the novel coronavirus.

Rudy Gobert

The Jazz big man's positive test before Utah's game in Oklahoma City on March 11 had an enormous domino effect: The Jazz's game was postponed; the NBA suspended its season for at least 30 days; the NHL, MLB and MLS all suspended their seasons the next day, and college sports was shut down for months, most notably the NCAA Tournament and the College World Series.

Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell's positive test was a direct result of Gobert's test. Jazz personnel were tested after the postponement in OKC, and Mitchell's result was the lone positive test. Mitchell's case also has a connection to MLB: His father, Donovan Sr., works for the Mets, and he visited his son when the Jazz played the Knicks in New York on March 4.

UPDATE: The Mets announced March 13 (per Mike Puma of the New York Post) that the elder Mitchell tested negative.

UPDATE 2: The Jazz announced March 27 that Utah health officials determined Mitchell, Gobert, the other Jazz players and team staff "no longer pose a risk of infection to others" following two weeks of self-isolation. 

Christian Wood

The Pistons forward was matched up against Gobert and the Jazz in Detroit on March 7. Sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on March 14 that Wood has shown no symptoms and is doing well. UPDATE: The Detroit Free Press reported March 26 that Wood's recovery was complete after he tested negative for COVID-19. 

Former Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds

Edmonds, who played eight of his 17 MLB seasons in St. Louis and is now a broadcaster for the Cardinals, was hospitalized and tested for COVID-19 on Saturday, March 28, he announced via his Instagram story.

A's minor league coach Webster Garrison

Garrison is hospitalized in Louisiana and on a ventilator, the San Francisco Chronicle reported March 28 (subscription required). Garrison worked with A's minor leaguers in Arizona during spring training; the Chronicle reported that Oakland minor league players and staff have been under quarantine for the past two weeks.

Sydney Wiese

Wiese, a guard for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, announced March 27 on Twitter that she had tested positive. "I am feeling well — fortunate to only show mild symptoms, but I am capable of spreading it," she wrote. The Sparks later announced that Wiese tested positive after returning from playing in Spain. 

Unnamed Colorado Avalanche players

A second player on the Colorado Avalanche has tested positive, bringing the NHL total up to four cases as of March 28. The team announced on Saturday that he is in self-isolation and any players, staff, or others that had come into contact with him had been notified. No update was given on the players' health.

The team had announced on March 26 that a first player had tested positive. The unnamed player "has been at home in isolation since the first symptoms appeared, has recovered and is back to normal. The Avalanche have notified anyone who has had known close contact with the athlete."  

Unnamed Ottawa Senators players

The players were the first in the NHL known to have tested positive for the virus. The Senators announced the first result March 17, saying the player "has had mild symptoms and is in isolation." The team announced the second test March 21. 

"The player was part of the recent away trip that included games in San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles," the Senators said of the second player. "The total number of people that travelled with the club is 52, including players, staff, media, guests and flight crew. Of those on the trip, 44 have shown no symptoms, eight people have been tested, and two positive results were received." The team was awaiting results from tests of that took place last week.

Senators announcer Gord Wilson

The longtime Ottawa color analyst told the Ottawa Sun on March 27 that he has never experienced something like what he is dealing with now. "It's a flu like nothing I've ever had," he told the Sun's Bruce Garrioch. "We’ve all had the flu and we’ve all had bad colds. This is completely different … completely different. It grips you." 

Blues announcer John Kelly

St. Louis' longtime television play-by-play announcer has been in self-quarantine since March 13, the team announced March 27. "We are thrilled to report that John is now feeling strong and symptom free," the team added in its statement.

Patrick McEnroe

The former United States Davis Cup captain said March 31 that he is feeling back at 100 percent after testing positive for the coronavirus. He posted a video on Twitter from the basement of his house, to where he retreated 11 days earlier suffering from minor COVID-19 symptoms.

Former Texas A&M player David Edwards

Edwards, who played a season at Georgetown in 1989-90 before transferring to Texas A&M from 1991-94, died from the coronavirus on Monday. His former Aggies teammate, Charles Henderson, shared the news via Facebook, indicating Edwards died of COVID-19. A Texas A&M spokesman confirmed the news to the Dallas Morning News. Edwards averaged 13.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 85 contests for the Aggies.

Former St. John's player Lee Green

Green, who played three seasons at St. John's from 1991-94, died from the coronavirus on Monday, as reported by teammate Lamont Middleton to the New York Post. Ron Linfonte, the director of sports medicine at St. John's, confirmed the news via Twitter on Monday. Green averaged 2.3 points per game in 72 games.

Callum Hudson-Odoi

The 19-year-old Hudson-Odoi, a rising star for Premier League side Chelsea, became the first league player to test positive for the virus. The test forced Chelsea personnel to self-isolate and for the club to keep the men's team building at its training ground closed. Hudson-Odoi said on March 13 that he had recovered from the virus and was entering a weeklong self-isolation period.

Mikel Arteta

The manager of English Premier League side Arsenal tested positive, the club announced March 12. Club personnel who had "close contact" with Arteta will self-isolate in line with government health guidelines. The club said Arteta's test puts Asenal's season in doubt, unless the Premier League moves to suspend or cancel the remainder of the season, which had nine matchdays remaining as of March 13.

Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla

The head of Mexico's top-flight soccer league announced March 20 that he had tested positive. He said he has no serious symptoms and is under quarantine. The league suspended play March 16 after a full slate of weekend fixtures in empty stadiums.

Paolo Maldini, Daniel Maldini

AC Milan's technical director and his 18-year-old son have tested positive, the club announced March 21. The two have been isolated for the past two weeks but were found to have contracted the disease this week and will remain in quarantine until they are cleared of the virus.

Paulo Dybala joins list of Juventus players affected

The attacker revealed March 21 that he and his girlfriend had contracted COVID-19. Dybala became the third player from his team to catch it after Daniele Rugani and Blaise Matuidi.

Manolo Gabbiadini, Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonio La Gumina, Morten Thorsby

All five play for Italian Serie A side Sampdoria. Gabbiadini was the second Serie A player to test positive.

Dusan Vlahovic

The Fiorentina forward was not displaying symptoms, the club announced.

Hyun-Jun Suk

The South Korean national plays for Troyes, a Ligue 2 side in France. He had not felt well for a few days.

Timo Hubers

Hubers, who plays for 2. Bundesliga side Hannover, was the first German player to test positive.

Luca Kilian

The Paderborn defender was the first Bundesliga player to test positive.

An official at the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball tournament

The conference announced March 12 that the official, whose name was not released, exhibited symptoms 72 hours after working a tournament game. The tournament ended March 10 with Hofstra winning the championship.

Unidentified XFL player

The XFL confirmed a Seattle Dragons player has tested positive for the coronavirus. He played against the Houston Roughnecks on March 7 but did not show symptoms at that time.

Yankees, Red Sox minor leaguers

New York reported two cases from its spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., in mid-March. The team announced the second player's symptoms had "dissipated." Boston announced its positive test on March 24, saying the player was diagnosed after he returmed home from spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. The club decided to close its Fenway South complex for at least two weeks and launch a "deep cleaning" of the facility. 

Material from Goal was used in this report.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.