US basketball season is on recess for now after the NBA announced on Wednesday that it is suspending its season until further notice amid coronavirus fears.
The announcement arrived shortly after a game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was abruptly postponed, following a report that a Jazz player had caught the bug.
The player was identified as Rudy Gobert.
On Wednesday night, fans had filled the Chesapeake Energy Arena stands, and players took the court shortly before scheduled tip-off prior to leaving the floor to return to their locker rooms.
After a delay, the public address announcer announced that the game was postponed and asked fans to leave the arena in an orderly manner.
The NBA later issued a statement on Twitter:
The extraordinary step is the latest in the United States to limit large gatherings in an effort to stifle the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.
The news arrives hours after the NCAA announced that its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be played without fans in the stands. College basketball conferences are falling in line with their championship tournaments.
