NBA player reveals seven family members have died from virus
Minnesota Timberwolves centre Karl-Anthony Towns says he’s lost seven family members to COVID-19.
Towns spoke about his experience with the pandemic, revealing he “hasn’t been in a good place” since his mother died as a result of COVID-19 in April.
On top of losing his mother, Towns said he’s lost six other family members to the virus.
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Towns did not elaborate on that subject other than to say he’s trying to make sure his family is educated about the virus.
“I’m the one looking for answers to try to keep my family well-informed and make all the moves necessary to keep them alive,” Towns said.
Towns has not played an NBA game since February.
The former number one pick injured his wrist during a game against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 10 and remained out until the NBA suspended its season in mid-March following Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test.
The league restarted the season July 31, but the Timberwolves did not have a good enough record to play in the Orlando bubble.
If KAT didn’t even look at a basketball this year, nobody should have a word to say to or about him.
— Karens In Paris (@NekiasNBA) December 4, 2020
Karl-Anthony Towns opened up about how he’s continuing to process the death of his mother, and six other family members who also died of complications from the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/s2Rwjp4MXL
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) December 5, 2020
KAT says he has lost six other family/relations from COVID in addition to his mother. "I'm the one looking for answers to try to keep my family well informed and make all the moves necessary to keep them alive."
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 4, 2020
While the bubble worked well — no NBA player tested positive while in the bubble — the league is moving forward without a bubble to begin the 2020-21 NBA season. The league plans to tip off Dec. 22.
A record 219,187 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States on Thursday, according to the CDC.
Ben Simmons all in on Philadelphia's NBA reset
Australian basketball star Ben Simmons insists the Philadelphia 76ers are ready to compete with the heavyweight teams in the NBA.
Simmons and Joel Embiid will be the max-contract cornerstones of a franchise that has not yet reached the championship heights so many expected when they were drafted two years apart.
Preparing for his fourth full term in the NBA, Simmons says the Sixers are ready to hit the reset button in coach Doc Rivers' first season running a team that netted them just the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round exit.
Former Sixers guard Josh Richardson, traded to Dallas in the off-season, lamented in August the underachieving season could be pinned on a lack of accountability from management to the roster.
Simmons said Richardson was right and the Sixers were not ready to compete for a title when the NBA restarted the season in the Disney bubble.
"We weren't in a position to go into the bubble and win," Simmons said.
"I think our mindset was off. Accountability is a huge part of winning.
"I think he's definitely right. Bringing Doc and all of these guys in, Doc's team, with all of these coaches around, the maturity has definitely risen with the team.
"It's been great to see that and see guys be accountable for certain things, and come here ready with a different mindset."
With AAP
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