Coronavirus: Detroit Pistons Christian Wood tests positive for virus
Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reports.
Wood would be the third NBA player to test positive for the virus following the diagnoses of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. He would also be the first case in the league to be found outside the Jazz organization.
The Pistons faced the Jazz on March 7, a game in which Wood recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds against Gobert. Wood has shown no symptoms of coronavirus since the teams’ meeting and is “doing well,” according to Charania.
Gobert was the first player in a major U.S. sport to be diagnosed with coronavirus on March 11. His teammate, Mitchell, was later the lone person amongst the team’s players and personnel to test positive. Other teams that came in recent contact with the Jazz have since been tested.
The Raptors’ Serge Ibaka, who faced Gobert on Monday, received a negative coronavirus diagnosis, according to Charania. Meanwhile, a child in Rhode Island that received an autograph last week from a Jazz player tested positive for COVID-19, according to state police.
The NBA became the first major sports league to suspend its season following Gobert’s diagnosis, later announcing a timeframe of at least 30 days. Other sports soon followed suit, including the cancelation of college basketball’s March Madness tournament.
Wood has averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists during his fourth season in the NBA. He is expected to draw interest in the league’s upcoming free agency.