Cavaliers' Kevin Love Says Athletes Need to Be 'Community Leaders' Amid COV-19

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love believes he and his fellow athletes have an obligation to step up amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

"Obviously it's been an incredibly stressful time for a number of people," Love said Wednesday on Today. "As the show just mentioned, a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck. So I felt this is really the time, especially for us NBA players, to walk the walk and be more than athletes. ... It's more of a time for us to step up and be community leaders and do what's right for the people that are having a very stressful and tough time."

The five-time All-Star pledged $100,000 to help pay employees at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse who are unable to work with the NBA season on hold to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Others across the NBA have made similar donations.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson announced he planned to cover the salaries of Smoothie King Center employees for 30 days. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo matched Love's $100,000 donation for workers at Fiserv Forum, and Detroit Pistons star Blake Griffin made the same pledge for those at Little Caesars Arena.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed last week the league expects to be on hiatus for a minimum of 30 days.

The break will almost certainly extend well beyond that.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the NBA held a meeting with its board of governors Tuesday. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy provided his input during the meeting and left those in attendance with the impression June is the earliest that action could resume.

The NBA came to an abrupt halt after Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell confirmed he tested positive as well, and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

According to CNN, more than 194,000 cases of the disease have been confirmed and more than 7,800 people have died worldwide.