Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic has tested positive for the coronavirus and is currently back in Serbia, the Denver Post reports.
Nikola Jokic positive result is coming at a time when the NBA is planning to resume play after a coronavirus hiatus that began on March 11. NBA players are all ready to be back in their teams’ market on June 22, with overseas players due back on June 15.
The Post reported Nikola Jokic was granted an exception to stay longer, but tested positive and has begun his quarantine.
Eight days ago Jokic was in Belgrade for an exhibition basketball game. One of the players who participated in the game, and was later seen close to Jokic, tested positive soon after, the Post reported.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic, who was also sitting next to Nikola Jokic at the event, announced on Tuesday he had tested positive.
The NBA is planning to resume play on July 30 in a controlled environment at the sports complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
ESPN reported Tuesday that teams had begun testing players for Covid-19 as part of the preparations to resume the season.
The league plans to have 22 teams, 13 from the Western Conference and nine from the Eastern Conference, to start play with a chance to reach the championship final.
Most teams will conduct early preparations at their home facilities, but the reigning champion Toronto Raptors are working out at Florida Gulf Coast University where they are following NBA guidelines that allow individual players to work out in a controlled atmosphere until group workouts are permitted once teams report to Disney World.