For the past several weeks, those wanting to see the NBA return to crown a 2020 champion have gotten some positive indicators. Although Commissioner Adam Silver isn’t expected to make any announcement about the league’s intentions before June, the players support a return to play and it stands to reason that with billions of dollars at stake, the owners would, as well.
Whether the league can safely bring its players back onto the floor is where the suspension of play focuses, and one thing that could be a significant factor is the number of players who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
Apparently, that’s something that the league has already considered and, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews, is participating in a study to help make that determination.
Partnering with the Timberwolves and the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic, all 30 NBA teams are expected to participate.
[Robby] Sikka and the Mayo Clinic — an academic medical center headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota — are spearheading a leaguewide study that aims to establish what percentage of NBA players, coaches, executives and staff have developed antibodies to the coronavirus…
The initiative, which is supported by the league office and the players’ association, is expected to have the participation of all 30 teams.
Andrews’ report notes that Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves’ franchise player, has been personally impacted by COVID-19 in the worst way possible. Both of his parents became infected with the virus. While his father recovered, his mother, unfortunately, did not. After being put into a medically-inducted coma, she would eventually be placed on a ventilator being succumbing due to complications from the disease.
At this point, it is the most notable bout that any NBA player has had with the disease.
For Sikka and the Timberwolves, continuing to study and understand the coronavirus and its spread is personal.
Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, died because of complications from COVID-19 on April 13.
Of course, these are challenging times, but the league appears to collectively be banding together to try to find solutions.