Last night, around 200 NBA players got together on a Zoom call to discuss the return of the NBA season. The call was led by Kyrie Irving and it is being reported that he was making arguments as to why the players shouldn't return. In addition to not liking the bubble city plan, Irving says there are more important things than basketball right now and that the players should be focusing on social justice reforms instead.
According to Shams Charania, there were some star players on the call who also voiced similar opinions. Among them were Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and even Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. Following this revelation, Mitchell came out and refuted Charania's reporting, saying "stop it."
Clearly, Mitchell seems offended at the notion that he doesn't want the league to return next month. Of course, the Jazz have quite a bit to lose here as they were in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. They are a team with a lot of dark horse potential and it would behoove them to restart the season and potentially surprise a few people.
At this point, it seems as though there are contradicting reports on how the players really feel. Over the next few weeks, we will get a better sense of whether or not the players are actually on board with returning to action.
Mike Conley Breaks Silence On Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell Drama
Mike Conley recently weighed in on the rumors surrounding Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell's relationship.
Rudy Gobert's positive Coronavirus test set the NBA in a frenzy. The same night he was diagnosed with the virus, the NBA decided to shut down all operations. In fact, every single sports league in North America was forced to shut down as well. Gobert's teammate Donovan Mitchell was also diagnosed with the virus, just a day after the former defensive player of the year. In the days leading up to their positive test results, Gobert was reckless and didn't take the virus seriously. With this in mind, it was quickly reported that Mitchell was angry with Gobert and that their relationship couldn't be fixed.
Now, veteran Jazz point guard Mike Conley is speaking out about the rumored feud between Gobert and Mitchell. As he says, it doesn't seem like they are on bad terms but even if they were, they would be able to handle it and overcome it like men.
“Between Donovan and Rudy, if they feel a certain way about each other, which I honestly don’t think that’s the case at all, they’re grown men and they handle it,” Conley said. “They go out there, compete and try to win. You’d never notice on our end.”
Gobert recently told Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report that he is on good terms with Mitchell and that there is nothing to worry about. Only time will tell whether or not this is the case. Perhaps their chemistry on the court will tell us all we need to know.
Rudy Gobert Says He’s Back On Good Terms With Donovan Mitchell
Rudy Gobert says he is back on good terms with Donovan Mitchell after COVID-19 diagnosis.
Any beef between Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell has been squashed, Gobert said Sunday.
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Gobert, who was the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19, was criticized for downplaying the virus and putting his teammates at risk. Soon after, Mitchell tested positive and the two players have reportedly been at odds since.
“It’s true that we didn’t speak for a while, but we spoke a couple days ago,” Gobert said. “We’re ready to win a championship. Relationships are never perfect,” Gobert said on Instagram live, Sunday. “But at the end of the day, we both want to win. We’re grown men, and we want to win.”
“There’s no fight,” Gobert added. “It’s all about thousands of people are dying every day, and it’s all about what we can do to help, what we can do to bring some positive. That’s what my focus is on now.”
Mitchell spoke about the situation in March on ABC’s Good Morning America: “To be honest with you, it took a while for me to kind of cool off and I read what he said and heard what he said,” Mitchell said. “I’m glad he’s doing okay, I’m glad I’m well. I’m just really happy, to be honest, Robin, that it wasn’t the whole [team].”
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Donovan Mitchell Unveils The Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2: Details
Donovan Mitchell's latest sneaker is already available in NBA 2K's "The Neighborhood" mode.
Donovan Mitchell has been embroiled in some controversies as of late although he is looking to get past all of that and focus on some more of the positive aspects of his life. His signature sneaker series with Adidas is certainly one of those positives as last year, he debuted the Adidas D.O.N. Issue #1 to the world. Mitchell has a huge appreciation for comic books which is evident in his nickname, "Spida." Each sneaker follows an issue number hence why his first sneaker was called Issue #1. Today, he announced and unveiled the Issue #2.
The announcement for the Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 was posted on the NBA 2K Twitter page as the shoe is now available to be worn in the game's "The Neighborhood" mode. In the video below, you can see that Mitchell is holding the pair which features a completely revamped silhouette. Interestingly, the first colorway is going to be green and orange.
For now, it appears as though the shoe will be making its retail debut in the summer. We are surely going to see some new colorways so stay tuned as we will be sure to give you all of the latest updates.
Let us know in the comments below how you feel about these.
Rudy Gobert Has Reportedly Ghosted The Jazz
Rudy Gobert has ceased communication with the Jazz following his Coronavirus diagnosis.
Rudy Gobert became a punchline the night of March 11th when it was revealed that he had tested positive for Coronavirus and singlehandedly led to the entire shut down of the NBA. Gobert had been reckless about the disease prior to his positive test and it led people to use him as a sort of scapegoat. In fact, there are reports circulating that teammate Donovan Mitchell is incredibly upset with Gobert and that they won't be able to salvage their relationship.
It appears as though things are actually worse than that. The Athletic is also reporting that Gobert has completely stopped talking to the Jazz as an organization. With this in mind, it's clear things could be over for the two sides when play eventually starts back up again.
“Not only is Rudy [Gobert] non-communicative with Donovan Mitchell, he’s largely not communicating with the Jazz right now, either," reporter Tony Jones said.
Gobert's reported position shouldn't be shocking. Many left Gobert out to dry over this whole thing and he quickly became the face of what not to do during a pandemic. He has been treated as a dunce for weeks now and the Jazz haven't tried to defend him at all. Not to mention, there isn't even confirmation that he gave Mitchell the virus in the first place.
Over the coming weeks, this situation is bound to get more interesting.
Donovan Mitchell & Rudy Gobert Reportedly On Unsalvageable Terms
Donovan Mitchell & Rudy Gobert have been shaky ground ever since they were both diagnosed with Coronavirus.
Rudy Gobert went from being one of the best defensive players in the NBA to the biggest laughing stock, in a matter of days. It all started when he decided to not take the Coronavirus seriously and touched a bunch of microphones during a press conference. Just a couple of days later, he tested positive for the virus. The next day, Donovan Mitchell tested positive as well. Gobert’s diagnosis led to the immediate shut down of the NBA and sports leagues around the world. Simply put, he was the man who started it all.
Ever since Mitchell’s diagnosis, there have been rumors that he is extremely upset with Gobert and that the two have a bad relationship. It is unclear who had the virus first but Mitchell feels like Gobert was too reckless. According to The Athletic, things are so bad that a source in the Jazz organization is calling their relationship unsalvageable.
This is horrible news for Jazz fans when you consider how the team was doing quite well before this whole scandal. The Jazz could have been a darkhorse team in the Western Conference but if their chemistry is ruined, perhaps we could see Gobert traded away from the team.
Stay tuned for updates on this story as we will be sure to bring them to you.
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NBA 2K "Players-Only" Tournament Bracket Revealed
Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Andre Drummond, and DeMarcus Cousins are all participating.
NBA fans have been looking for any kind of sports content they can get their hands on and now, the league is set to deliver with a brand new NBA 2K tournament that will air on Friday on ESPN. This tournament will reportedly go on for ten days and is being called "Players-Only" due to the fact that only NBA talent can participate. In fact, some of the league's biggest names will be in the tourney.
The bracket has already been made and has been split up according to who has the highest ranking in NBA 2K. For instance, Kevin Durant has an overall of 96 which means he is the first seed. He will go up against the 16th seeded Derrick Jones Jr. Some of the other big names in the tournament are Trae Young, DeMarcus Cousins, Donovan Mitchell, and Devin Booker. You can see the entire bracket, below.
This will surely be an entertaining tournament and we can't wait to see if the players use their teams in real life. If so, some players will certainly be at an unfair advantage, especially Durant who would get to play as himself and Kyrie Irving. Not to mention, Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverley would get to use Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Lou Williams.
Let us know in the comments below who you think will end up winning the tournament.
NBA Planning NBA 2K Tournament With Big-Name Stars
The NBA is trying to put on a show for the fans now that the season is on pause.
Coronavirus has led to the shut down of numerous sports leagues around the world, including the NBA. The season was just about to get good as we were approaching the playoffs, which would have started next month. Now, we are in a state of purgatory as the league is looking towards plans for the summer when this crisis is supposed to subside. Fans are looking for some much-needed entertainment right now and it appears as though the NBA is ready to provide that in the form of an NBA 2K tournament.
Yes, that’s right, according to Yahoo Sports, the league intends to create a 16-player 1V1 style tournament with some of the NBA’s best players. The tournament would start Friday and is set to include Kevin Durant, Andre Drummond, Donovan Mitchell, and even DeMarcus Cousins. It is believed that this tournament will be aired on ESPN and could last a total of 10 days.
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
This would be a lot of fun especially when you consider how deprived of sports we are right now. Any kind of entertainment is welcomed and we would love to see some NBA players get in on the video game action.
Who knows, perhaps we will be able to bet on the games. If so, who would you place money on to win the whole thing?
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Donovan Mitchell Has Message For Fans After Coronavirus Recovery
Donovan Mitchell has a clean bill of health after being diagnosed with COVID-19 just a couple of weeks ago.
Donovan Mitchell and his teammate, Rudy Gobert, both ended up catching the Coronavirus that has been making its way throughout the globe over the past few months. The pandemic is about to reach its peak but for Gobert and Mitchell, the worst is finally over. They were recently told that they have been cleared of the virus and will be able to continue their lives as normal.
Mitchell understands just how bad this virus can be. With this in mind, he has decided to educate people and yesterday, he even took to his Twitter account where he had a serious message for everyone at home who is going through quarantine. As he said, it's important to stay the course because even if you don't feel sick, you could still be carrying the virus.
"On a more serious note... let’s continue to practice social distancing and remember... even though you may not have symptoms you still may be infected!!" Mitchell wrote. "Let’s keep everyone in our prayers and stay safe."
Due to COVID-19, the entire NBA season has been put on pause and won't resume until it is safe to get into large gatherings again. If you're sad that the NBA is gone and want it back sooner rather than later, you should live by Mitchell's words of wisdom.
Donovan Mitchell Reacts To Being Cleared Of COVID-19
Donovan Mitchell was recently told he is no longer carrying the Coronavirus.
Donovan Mitchell was one of the first NBA players to be diagnosed with the Coronavirus. His positive test came immediately after his teammate Rudy Gobert was also diagnosed with the virus. Since then, Mitchell has been quarantining at home where he was getting his rest and a fair share of fluids. Mitchell and Gobert received some positive news earlier today as it was revealed that they no longer have the virus which means they can't pass it on to anyone else. At this point, they will probably still stay home, just for the good of everyone else.
Mitchell was so excited about this news that he hopped on Twitter and posted a prayer hand emoji alongside a gif of a child happily dancing. The young Jazz star is clearly happy to be rid of the virus that has killed thousands of people around the globe.
Other NBA players have contracted the virus including Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics got it also which just goes to show how the virus can be spread so easily. Even the most healthy individuals can end up with it.
Regardless, we wish everyone else with the virus, a speedy recovery. This pandemic has been very scary but if we work together, it can go away much faster than we think.
