Nikola Jokic Pictured Standing Near Player Who Was Later Diagnosed with COVID-19
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic may have been exposed to the coronavirus after attending a basketball exhibition game in Serbia last week.
Nikola Jankovic, a center on KK Partizan, tested positive for the virus, the team announced Monday. Photos from the event show Jokic standing near Jankovic; it's unclear if they had any physical contact.
Jokic is expected back stateside Monday as the NBA gears up for its resumption in Orlando next month. The NBA plans to administer COVID-19 tests to players when they return to their market, so Jokic will find out soon if he contracted the virus.
Novak Djokovic also attended the exhibition.
The NBA plans to have players return to their markets this month for short camps before traveling to Orlando, where they will be placed in a proverbial "bubble" for more training and then the resumption of the 2019-20 season. Any player who contracts the virus will be placed into quarantine.
Jokic was averaging 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists when the NBA suspended play in March. He was coming on strong after a slow start, playing himself into shape and setting himself up for another All-NBA selection.
The Nuggets are currently third in the Western Conference standings.
Bleacher Report's David Gardner interviews athletes and other sports figures for the podcast How to Survive Without Sports.
