New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized NBA teams for having access to coronavirus tests after the Brooklyn Nets announced that four players tested positive.
"Tests should not be for the wealthy, but for the sick," de Blasio tweeted, adding that "We wish them a speedy recovery. But, with all due respect, an entire NBA team should NOT get tested for COVID-19 while there are critically ill patients waiting to be tested."
In addition to the Nets, other NBA teams have also secured testing for the virus for their players, while the vast majority of Americans still haven't been tested, CBS News reported.
The NBA indefinitely suspended its season last week after Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass responded to the criticism, telling ESPN in a statement that "Public health authorities and team doctors have been concerned that, given NBA players' direct contact with each other and close interactions with the general public, in addition to their frequent travel, they could accelerate the spread of the virus."
Bass added, "Following two players testing positive last week, others were tested and five additional players tested positive. Hopefully, by these players choosing to make their test results public, they have drawn attention to the critical need for young people to follow CDC recommendations in order to protect others, particularly those with underlying health conditions and the elderly."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.