Charles Barkley in 'Self-Quarantine' as He Awaits Results for Coronavirus Test After Falling Ill
Charles Barkley is in “self-quarantine” as a precaution after feeling under the weather amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The former basketball player, 57, called into TNT’s The Crossover on Thursday to let fans know he’s fallen ill, explaining he that has since taken COVID-19 test on the advice of doctors and isolated himself from the public as he awaits the results.
“I spent the earlier part of the week in New York City. When I got to Atlanta yesterday, I wasn’t feeling well,” Barkley recalled. “I talked to a couple people at Turner and a couple doctors and they told me to self-quarantine for the next 48 hours. I started yesterday, this is my second day.”
“I haven’t been feeling great and they didn’t want me to take any chances,” the Inside the NBA analyst continued. “I went and took the coronavirus test late this afternoon, I have not gotten the results back. So I’m just kinda in limbo right now.”
He added, “I’m really hoping it was just a bug.”
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Charles Barkley
RELATED: NBA Suspends Season After Utah Jazz Player Rudy Gobert Tests Positive for Coronavirus
Barkley’s announcement comes just two days after appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, in which he told host Stephen Colbert that the coronavirus outbreak has “not at all” affected his daily life.
“[It’s] unfortunate that some people passed away and some people are sick, but you can’t stop living your life,” he said.
While on the late-night talk show, Barkley also questioned whether or not the fans should attend basketball games amid the global health crisis.
“If they don’t come to games, are they not going to live their lives? Are they not going to go to work? Are they not going to go out and have dinner and things like that?” Barkley mused. “Just not coming to a basketball game, I don’t think that’s going to solve all the issues.”
RELATED VIDEO: Rudy Gobert Purposefully Touched Reporters’ Microphones 2 Days Before Testing Positive for Coronavirus
Rudy Gobert Purposefully Touched Reporters' Microphones 2 Days Before Testing Positive for Coronavirus
Following Gobert testing positive for coronavirus, the NBA announced it was suspending its season on Wednesday
On Wednesday, the NBA suspended the remainder of the season after Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
“The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminary tested positive for COVID-19. The test was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena,” the NBA said in a statement.
“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
As of March 12, there have been at least 1,654 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 41 deaths in the United States, according to The New York Times.
The majority of U.S. cases are in Washington state, California and New York, and all three have declared a state of emergency to redirect funding.
