LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who tested positive for the new coronavirus 10 days ago, has been cleared by American health officials, he announced Sunday on Twitter.
“Corona Free as of two days ago. Cleared by Mass (Massachusetts) Dept of Health,” Smart wrote on social media. “Thanks for everyone’s thoughts and prayers and I’m doing the same for everyone that’s been affected by this. Stay safe and stay together- apart! Much love!”
So far at least 14 NBA team members have tested positive for COVID-19, including the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. He joins France’s Gobert and Mitchell and Detroit Piston’s Christian Wood with all-clears after coming down with the illness.
Earlier this month, league commissioner Adam Silver said NBA players should be considered “super spreaders” of the disease. Silver’s comments followed criticism that wealthy athletes were getting tested ahead of critically ill patients in American hospitals.
Smart said he was tested March 14 and got the results five days later.
He added that he had no symptoms and felt good enough to play an NBA game if he had to.
In 53 games in 2019-20 season, Smart was averaging 4.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. Smart is a first-round pick of the Celtics in the 2014 NBA draft.
As of Sunday night, more than 142,000 Americans have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus with 2,490 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
© Agence France-Presse