Jason Collins, Retired NBA Player, Has Tested Positive for Coronavirus & Says His Symptoms Started 2 Weeks Ago

Retired NBA player Jason Collins announced that he tested positive for the Coronavirus, revealing he first had symptoms on March 11.

Former NBA player Jason Collins has tested positive for the Coronavirus, and he seems to be having a hard time and is considering another trip to the hospital.

Just a couple of days prior, another former NBA player, Charles Barkley, revealed he was experiencing flu-like symptoms.

EXPLAINING HIS CORONAVIRUS CASE

The 41-year-old former center revealed he took a trip to New York earlier this month to attend the Brooklyn Nets' pride night game on March 4. He says he contracted COVID-19 while he was at the event.

A week later, on March 11, Collins began exhibiting symptoms that began with a "terrible headache." It quickly progressed into a fever and cough. Although he continues to experience chest tightness, his initial tests showed that his lungs were clear.

COLLINS IN THE NBA

Collins played 14 seasons in the NBA, and was the first openly-gay man to do so. Now that he's a patient of the Coronavirus, he urged people to stop the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing.

He went on to thank all the frontliners of COVID-19, especially the healthcare workers whom he calls the "true heroes on the frontline."

"Thank you to every single healthcare worker out there that are our true heroes on the frontline. Please let's try to flatten the curve & not overwhelm our healthcare system."

Charles Barkley at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada in July 11, 2019 | Source: Getty Images/GlobalImagesUkraine

CORONAVIRUS IN THE NBA

Just a couple of days prior, another former NBA player, Charles Barkley, revealed he was experiencing flu-like symptoms. He decided to take a COVID-19 test as he was feeling ill, but the test results came back to him negative.

Charles Barkley was worried he had COVID-19 after experiencing symptoms while working on "Inside The NBA." To make sure, he took a test on March 12 and informed his show crew that he's decided to self-isolate to make sure he doesn't pass on the symptoms to anyone else.

More than a dozen players and staff associated with the NBA have tested positive for the Coronavirus, and hundreds others are currently on self-isolation to try and curb the spread of the highly-contagious virus.