5 years ago today: OKC Thunder game postponed due to COVID-19 as sports world comes to grinding halt

March 11, 2020, is a day that will forever be remembered as the eyes of the sports world were focused on Oklahoma City. The scheduled game between Utah and Oklahoma City was postponed that night five years ago, shortly before the NBA suspended its regular season after Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. News 9 Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee was live from Chesapeake Arena as the story was beginning to unfold.

Jazz Statement

This morning a player on the Utah Jazz tested negative for influenza, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection. The individual's symptoms diminished over the course of today; however, in a precautionary measure, and in consultation and cooperation with NBA medical staff and Oklahoma health officials, the decision was made to test for COVID-19.

A preliminary positive result came back right before tip-off of the Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City game. Subsequently, the decision was correctly made by the NBA to postpone the game. When it was determined that the individual would be tested, we immediately informed the league office. The health and safety of our players, our organization, those throughout our league, and all those potentially impacted by this situation are paramount in our discussions.

We are working closely with the CDC, Oklahoma and Utah state officials and the NBA to determine how to best move forward as we gather more information. The individual is currently in the care of health officials in Oklahoma City. In coordination with the NBA and state officials, we will provide updates at the appropriate time.

The starting lineups were announced, and the teams were preparing for tip-off. However, after discussions among the officials, the teams returned to their locker rooms, and the officials exited the court. Teams were quarantined in the locker rooms and were not immediately allowed to leave.

The public address announcer informed the crowd that the game had been postponed due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Numbers of the coronavirus were starting to climb in the United States at the time, with the CDC reporting 1,000 cases. The NBA had recently released short-term recommendations to teams in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. "Players should utilize fist-bumps over high-fives with fans and avoid taking items such as pens, balls and jerseys to autograph, according to a memo to teams obtained by ESPN."

Leagues around the world reacted in the next several days by cancelling or suspending remaining games.

Related Story - NBA Season Suspended After Player Tests Positive For Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The NBA released the following statement on its website:

NEW YORK – The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The test result was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. At that time, tonight’s game was canceled. The affected player was not in the arena.

The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

Timeline of other leagues suspending or cancelling play

NBA:

The NBA suspended its season on March 11, 2020, after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus.

NHL:

The NHL suspended its season on March 12, 2020, following the NBA's lead as the severity of the pandemic became clear.

MLB:

Major League Baseball postponed its season on March 12, 2020, initially delaying the start of the regular season, which was originally scheduled for late March.

NCAA (College Basketball):

The NCAA canceled its Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments on March 12, 2020, which had been scheduled for March and April. This decision marked one of the first major cancellations in U.S. sports.

English Premier League (EPL):

The EPL postponed all matches starting on March 13, 2020. This suspension lasted until June, when the league resumed under strict health protocols.

Formula 1 (F1):

Formula 1 postponed the start of the 2020 season, with the first four races (Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, and China) canceled or rescheduled by March 13, 2020.

NBA Bubble

The NBA resumed play on July 30, 2020, after the league suspended its season in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumption took place in a "bubble" environment at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This bubble allowed the league to restart its season without the risk of exposure to the virus, and games were played without fans in attendance.

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