Rudy Gobert (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Rudy Gobert says his sense of smell still hasn’t come back.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert informed French newspaper L’Equipe (h/t ESPN) that he still has trouble smelling due to coronavirus.
“The taste has returned, but the smell is still not 100%,” Gobert said in an interview last Wednesday. “I can smell smells, but not from afar. I spoke to specialists, who told me that it could take up to a year [to return to normal].”
Gobert is unsure about whether he has fully recovered as well. The All-Star center still feels “strange things” in his body, but whether it’s due to the after-effects of the coronavirus or three months of no basketball is up to interpretation. Either way, Gobert emphasized that he’s in good shape and doesn’t feel the symptoms of the virus anymore.
Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive for the coronavirus on Mar. 11, causing the league to suspend the season. This occurred after he touched microphones at the end of a press conference and possibly spread the virus to his teammates and other team staff. Gobert described the stress and fear of overcoming the disease such as “ants in my toes” and “very slight” inflammation he felt when going for a jog.
Furthermore, he received a ton of backlash and criticism from around the league, including his own teammates. Gobert apologized profusely, but reports came out that Donovan Mitchell requested the All-Star center be traded. Although that has since been resolved, it will be a situation to monitor next month when the NBA restarts in Orlando.
Gobert averaged a double-double of 15.1 points on 69.8 percent shooting and 13.7 boards this season. Overall, he posted 45 double-doubles in 62 games. The Jazz is scheduled to resume their season on July 30th against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.