Russell Westbrook says he tested positive for coronavirus before Rockets left for NBA's Orlando bubble

Russell Westbrook.
(Image credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Houston Rockets are already in the NBA's coronavirus bubble in Orlando, Florida, but their without one of their — and the league's — biggest stars. Russell Westbrook, one half of the team's dynamic guard duo alongside James Harden, announced Monday he tested positive for COVID-19 before the Rockets' departure.

The one-time MVP says he's "feeling well" and plans to join the Rockets, who are in the thick of the Western Conference race, once he's cleared.

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It's not clear when exactly Westbrook received his positive result, but Houston's first game isn't until July 31, so if his recovery continues to progress, it seems likely he won't have to miss much game time and should be able to contribute in the playoffs.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.