As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, more and more figures around the NBA are being affected. The league had its first two positive tests on Wednesday and Thursday in Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, and later Thursday evening, perhaps the league's most influential media figure revealed that he is now concerned that he might have contracted the virus.
Charles Barkley called into Thursday's edition of Inside the NBA on TNT and revealed that he has been tested for coronavirus and is currently in a 48-hour self-quarantine. He explained that he did not feel well upon returning to Atlanta, where TNT tapes its NBA studio show, from New York, and is being cautious as he awaits results.
"I spent the earlier part of the week in New York City. When I got to Atlanta yesterday, I wasn't feeling well," Barkley said. "I talked to a couple people at Turner and a couple doctors and they told me to self-quarantine for the next 48 hours. I started yesterday, this is my second day.
"I haven't been feeling great and they didn't want me to take any chances ... I went and took the coronavirus test late this afternoon, I have not gotten the results back. So I'm just kinda in limbo right now. I'm really hoping it was just a bug, but like I said, I was in New York earlier this week, because that was a hotspot, and when I got to Atlanta I just wasn't feeling well. But I took the test, I haven't gotten the results back, and that's where I'm at right now."
Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith hosted the show in person in the studio. Barkley is not the only media member that has undergone recent testing. A number of journalists attending Wednesday's game between the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder were tested as well.
This story was originally published by CBS Sports on March 13, 2020 at 12:17 a.m. ET.
