The Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant will have to be quarantined for seven days after being with a person who tested positive for Covid-19 according to several local media sources.
Durant’s quarantine is part of the health and safety protocols that the NBA has established since the new season began.
The 32-year-old small forward, who already had Covid-19 last May, has continued to register antibodies against the coronavirus. As of Monday afternoon, Durant had tested negative for coronavirus three times, the same sources added.
“I’m alive. That’s all I can tell you. I’m good. The unknown is always scarry, but I had a lot of support.” Durant said.
“I knew if I needed anything, I could call someone. As a society, we still haven’t figured this whole thing out, but having more information by the day helps.” he added.
According to the Center for Disease Control, antibodies are “proteins that help fight infection and can protect against disease again”.
Scientists are still unsure how much immunity the antibodies provide against infection again. The NBA’s Covid-19 protocols do not distinguish between players who have antibodies and those who do not.
During the week that he is in quarantine, Durant will miss the games that the Nets are going to play against the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia Sixers, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Without Durant, the Nets will have to rely even more on Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert to create shots for the rest of the team.
Durant, who missed the entire 2019-20 season recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, has started all six of the Nets’ games in 2020-21.
The Nets’ star forward averages 28.2 points; 7 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 34 minutes that he has played per game.