OKC Thunder: Pre-bubble testing proves to be wise decision

The OKC Thunder will be housed at the Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian resort hotel . (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The OKC Thunder will be housed at the Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian resort hotel . (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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OKC Thunder
OKC Thunder: A man wearing a protective facemask sits in the empty stadium (Photo by WOLFGANG RATTAY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

No OKC Thunder players have tested positive for COVID-19 but two NBA players produced positive tests in quarantine.

While the coronavirus pandemic has hit the world it’s waged all-out war in the United States. Since NBA players live all over the U.S. and the world they were in the same boat as us regular Joes and Jills and consequently several players tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, the OKC Thunder have been one of the few teams to avoid contracting the virus (knock on wood).

Each state has the autonomy to deal with the virus the best way they determine which has been met with varying degrees of success. The fact Florida has become the new epicenter for the virus was something that had many of us wondering if the Disney bubble would work.

Some have suggested the Disney bubble might be the safest place to be given the safety standards and isolation within the venue. Granted, Disney employees can come and go from the setting which doesn’t preclude the possibility of the bubble being burst. But for the moment and at least in the early stages it appears to be working.

No positive tests for OKC Thunder players

Last week as each of the 22 teams arrived in Orlando they were tested and put in quarantine. Every one of the players and staff members had to produce two negative tests before they could leave their hotel rooms.

The OKC Thunder met those requirements and began life in the bubble. Since March 11th when Rudy Gobert became the NBA patient zero other players have since tested positive for the virus. Although the NBA hasn’t released every player’s name who produced a positive test we can decipher some information by individual team reports.

The OKC Thunder has stated on several occasions ‘no Thunder players have tested positive’. this was the case after tests came back following the postponement of the Thunder – Jazz game, again when OKC returned for mandatory workouts and again with them in the bubble.

That might seem like no big deal but consider how many teams (players or staff) have been touched by the coronavirus. This became very evident while doing some research on a recent article. Isolating on just the Eastern Conference teams in the bubble all but two teams have been affected at some stage of the pandemic.