Charles Barkley Doesn't Have COVID-19 and NBA Fans Can All Exhale Now

The NBA has been an unfortunate focal point in this strange world of COVID-19, with Jazz center Rudy Gobert's positive coronavirus test bringing about the dramatically speedy halt of nearly all sporting events around the world. Fans were perhaps even more disheartened to hear on March 12 that Hall of Famer and "Inside the NBA" mainstay Charles Barkley was quarantining himself out of potential concern over the virus, and things felt ominous as days continued to pass with no updates on that front.

Fortunately, the Chuckster has broken his silence. His test results are back, and he's negative for COVID-19.

Whew.

Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Marcus Smart and Christian Wood have since been confirmed to have tested positive along with Gobert, along with a handful of NBA players who have not been publicly named on the Nets, Lakers and Nuggets. These guys are all expected to tough out the sickness and bounce back given their excellent physical conditions, but Barkley is a middle-aged man who's "on the heavier side" as these things go.

To know that he's been cleared on this front is the kind of encouraging news we all need.

Now get back in the studio and give us more basic cable antics to watch!