Pistons' Christian Wood Becomes Third NBA Player to Test Positive for Coronavirus
By Karl Rasmussen
The NBA made the tough but correct decision to suspend operations following Rudy Gobert's positive COVID-19 test. Fellow Utah Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell also tested positive less than 24 hours later, and now a third player has come down with the highly-contagious virus on Saturday.
Per Shams Charania, Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood has tested positive for the coronavirus, though he has reportedly shown no symptoms of the virus and insists he is doing well.
Detroit Pistons‘ Christian Wood has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Wood had 30 and 11 rebounds against Rudy Gobert on Saturday night before a career-high 32 on Wednesday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 15, 2020
Sources say Wood has shown no symptoms and is doing well.
The Pistons played the Jazz last weekend in a matchup that saw Wood guarding Gobert. He scored 30 points and corralled 11 rebounds against Utah's big man, though it seems to have come with a significant cost.
The 24-year-old was enjoying a breakout year in Detroit prior to the league's suspension, recording career-high's across the board averaging 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
This marks the third positive test for coronavirus in the NBA — and the first franchise besides Gobert’s and Donovan Mitchell’s in Utah. Wood has had a career season and is in line for a strong free-agent contract. https://t.co/ShtooDGFSB
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 15, 2020
Fortunately Wood doesn't seem to have been slowed down by the virus, and hopefully after a few days of self-quarantining he'll be free of COVID-19.
In the mean time, we're sure the Pistons are ensuring the rest of the team gets tested for the coronavirus. Since their game against the Jazz, Detroit has played against both the Knicks and Sixers, with Wood seeing significant run in both contests.