Back on March 11, the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder became the center of attention in the NBA, as the visiting Jazz became the first known organization to employ players who contracted COVID-19.
Unfortunately, on Monday, the league’s attention turned toward the family of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns.
On March 24, approximately two weeks after the NBA suspended play, Towns appeared in a video distributed across social media channels announcing that his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, had contracted the virus, as well. She was placed in a medically induced coma.
On April 13, the Towns family and Timberwolves organization announced that Towns’ mother passed away due to complications from the virus.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2020
The news hit the NBA fraternity rather hard. Among his peers, Towns is well-liked and the league’s players have been known for taking their bonds rather seriously. Although many across the league have been personally impacted by the coronavirus, Towns’ family experienced the ultimate loss.
Chris Paul, the President of the NBA Players’ Association and the on-the-court leader for the upstart Thunder tweeted a personal message to Towns, as did the Thunder organization.
“Man… thoughts and prayers with you and the entire family @KarlTowns,” Paul tweeted.
Man… thoughts and prayers with you and the entire family @KarlTowns 🙏🏾
— Chris Paul (@CP3) April 13, 2020
As the masses ponder whether the league will be able to complete the 2019-20 season, the irreplaceable loss that the Towns family suffered is a sobering reminder that, especially during this time, some things are more important than sports.