Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell I was discharged from the NBA All-Star Game due to an upper respiratory illness that is now COVID-19, The NBA announced hours before the game on Sunday.
Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, released a statement regretting the missed opportunity:
“It is a great honor and it has always been my dream to be selected as a star player in the NBA. Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in the All-Star Game tonight due to my (non-COVID- related) upper respiratory illness. The entire weekend is a celebration for the basketball community and fans. And the sport I’ve been blessed with playing. I’m focused on recovering and getting back on the field. Thank you for all the recovery, my desires. I can’t wait to see the game later today.”
Mitchell is set to fit in with LeBron as a reserve, but it now looks like the team will play the man. The Jazz, who currently sit fourth in the Western Conference at 36-22, will continue to be represented in the game by Durant’s team. Rudy Gobert.
It’s been another strong year for Mitchell, who averaged 25.7 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.6 percent from field and 35.1 percent from depth.
Also missing from the game will be captain Kevin Durant, who was already out of the game with MCL, but he will. Now he didn’t attend because of his grandmother’s death. Durant was to be honored at a special halftime ceremony during the game as a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
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