More NBA players or nearly nine percent tested positive for COVID-19 during the recent round of league-round testing before the new season begins.

NBA
(Photo : Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers stands on the NBA logo against the Boston Celtics at The Arena.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) had been very cautious in the previous season before the sports league decided to restart the games.

They made sure that players, coaching staff, and other essential persons tested negative for the virus. 

In fact, to mitigate and immediately control the virus, all NBA teams were isolated and all games were all held in the bubble center in Orlando.

Their previous action was successful but the NBA is now again facing another challenge ahead of the new season that will begin on Dec. 22.

Read also: When Will the Next NBA Season Start? 

NBA Players Tested Positive for COVID-19

League-wide testing for COVID-19 in the NBA is very important. This will help the league determine who among the players tested for COVID-19 ahead of the opening of the season. Most especially that the COVID-19 cases in the country continue to increase. 

According to a recently published article in Yahoo Sports, nearly nine percent of the players tested positive for the virus.

In a joint statement with the NBPA, the league announced that 48 out of 546 players tested positive for the virus. The testing was done from Nov. 24-30. 

However, the NBA did not give the list of players who tested positive for COVID-19.

It marked the first set of testing in the league since the 2019-2020 season concluded. With the number of players testing positive for the virus, there might be changes as to how the league will work. 

It can be remembered that a similar round of testing was done in June before the season restarted.

At that time, 5.3 percent or 16 out of 320 players tested positive for the virus. This time, the positive rate is higher due also to the increase of COVID-19 infections across the country. 

COVID-19 Challenges for NBA 

This could be another challenge for the league. After NBA ran a successful restart in the previous season, the league is now facing new challenges that might change some of its rules.

Despite having COVID-19 guidelines, there might be changes in the coming days due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in the NBA. 

The initial plan of the league is not the same as what happened in the previous season.

There will be no bubble center anymore and players will no longer be isolated. Teams will now travel from city to city.

According to the league, only those who will test positive for the virus will be isolated in accordance with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Another challenge for the league is also playing in an indoor sport at the height of an airborne pandemic.

It can be remembered that WHO accepted that COVID-19 can also be transmitted through the air. There were cases also in the country where there was a spread of the virus in an indoor setting. 

The NBA did not have any updates yet if there will be changes before the season resumes on Dec. 22. The NBPA did not yet release a statement as well as if there will be a change in the league's format.