Basketball

Sad (but expected) news from the WNBA ... the 2020 season has been officially pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But there's a silver lining -- the virtual draft slated for April 17 will still go on as planned, the league announced Friday.

“As developments continue to emerge around the COVID-19 pandemic, including the extension of the social distancing guidelines in the United States through April 30, the WNBA will postpone the start of its training camps and top of the regular season originally scheduled for May 15," commish Cathy Engelbert said.

The league will now focus on the draft in 2 weeks ... with Engelbert explaining it's important for the event to happen as scheduled.

"This virtual draft allows players who have worked so hard to have their dreams realized when they hear their names called and provides teams the opportunity to build their rosters in anticipation of the day that we are able to move forward with our season."

Call this the biggest assist of the year so far for Marcus Smart ... the NBA player is donating his blood plasma after beating coronavirus to try to help others recover from the disease as well.

Some COVID-19 experts believe by taking the plasma of a person who's beaten the virus and giving it to currently infected people can help them get better.

The science, officials say, is the antibodies in the plasma can help sick people develop similar coronavirus fighters quicker as well.

The problem? Doctors say finding donors has been tough ... and the NBA, according to ESPN, has actually reached out to its teams to try to get its recovered players to participate.

Enter Smart ... whose agent confirmed Tuesday the Boston Celtics star is more than willing to give up his blood plasma for the potential cure.

Smart said on Twitter last week he was cleared by the Mass. Dept. Of Health after being diagnosed with the virus. He claimed he never once felt sick.

NBA star Rudy Gobert is back in action just days after getting cleared of his coronavirus diagnosis ... hitting an intense boxing workout to prove he's back on his grind.

Of course, Gobert was first diagnosed with COVID-19 back on March 11 ... which eventually led to the NBA suspending its season.

The All-Star center -- along with teammate Donovan Mitchell -- was given the green light to get back to action (while still self-quarantining) Friday ... and now, the 27-year-old is keeping his body right.

Gobert posted a video hitting the mitts with a trainer in an empty gym Tuesday ... captioning the clip with a simple message -- "back at it."

It's great to see things getting back to normal (or as normal as it can be) for Gobert ... who recently explained he lost his sense of taste and smell while dealing with the virus.

Good news, bad news from the NCAA. Good news -- spring sport athletes who can't compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic will get another year of eligibility.

And, the bad news?? The winter sports -- including basketball -- athletes will NOT get an extra year of eligibility ... which will be a huge bummer for seniors who didn't get to finish their final season at the college level.

"The Council's decision gives individual schools the flexibility to make decisions at a campus level," M. Grace Calhoun of the D1 Council said in a statement.

"The Board of Governors encouraged conferences and schools to take action in the best interest of the student-athletes and their communities, and now schools have the opportunity to do that."

The decision came down Monday afternoon ... but another major discussion will have to be had soon about the status of the fall sports schedule.

Of course, there are people like Kirk Herbstreit who would be shocked if the NCAA football season happened in 2020 due to the coronavirus scare.

Losing part or all of the football season would be a huge hit to the NCAA and the schools that depend on that revenue to fund other programs.

The Pac-12 has officially shut down ALL of its sports until at least May 31 ... forcing UCLA to cancel its annual spring football game next month.

The conference made the announcement Monday, saying in a statement schools cannot have ANY organized team activities "of any type" amid the suspension due to coronavirus.

The conference also says it will NOT allow in-person meetings ... and says virtual workouts -- supervised by a coach online -- are also not permitted.

As a result, the Bruins said in a statement, "In light of today's announcement by the Pac-12, our Spring Preview event on April 18 has been canceled."

It all begs the question ... with no spring practices and the start of organized offseason workouts nowhere in sight -- could this be the beginning of the end of the college football season in 2020?

Remember, ESPN star Kirk Herbstreit said just a few days ago he'd be "shocked" if there was a season next year.

"I'll be so surprised if that happens," Kirk said ... "I don't know how you let these guys go into locker rooms and let stadiums be filled up and how you can play ball. I just don't know how you can do it with the optics of it."

Here's some good news out of Boston ... Celtics star Marcus Smart says he was cleared of COVID-19!!

"Corona free as of two days ago!' Smart announced on his Twitter Sunday night.

Remember, Smart tested positive for the coronavirus shortly after Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell also contracted the virus about 2 weeks ago -- forcing the league to postpone the season.

Well, after being quarantined since March 19, the 26-year-old is GOOD TO GO, saying he was cleared by the Massachusetts Department of Health!

"Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers and I'm doing the same for everyone that's been effected by this!"

"Stay safe and stay together - apart! Much love!'

STEVE BALLMER!!!

The L.A. Clippers owner and his wife Connie just pledged more than $25 MILLION to help fight the battle against COVID-19!!!!

And, get this ... $10 MILLION of that pledge is earmarked for the Univ. of Washington Medicine’s Emergency Response Fund to expedite testing for a vaccine!!!

How 'bout them Clippers now, huh!?!?!

Of course, Steve -- who made his fortune as the CEO of Microsoft -- is reportedly worth more than $50 BILLION so, dude can afford to cut those big ass checks. It's still an awesome move.

The rest of the cash will go toward relief efforts in Seattle, Michigan and Los Angeles, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.

Ballmer is the latest big name in the sports world to pitch in -- just yesterday, Drew Brees pledged $5 MILLION to the State of Louisiana.

Conor McGregor, Rihanna, Kylie Jenner and more have also opened up their wallets.

LET'S GO!!!!

NOOOOO!!!!

Doris Burke -- America's most beloved sportscaster (sorry Joe Buck) -- just revealed she tested positive for coronavirus ... but she's already on the mend!

54-year-old Burke -- who's been calling NBA games for years -- appeared on "The Woj Pod" and spelled it out to Adrian Wojnarowski.

"I did test positive for COVID-19 and basically, my first symptoms looking back on it was March 11, which was the day I was broadcasting Denver at Dallas, which was obviously when Rudy Gobert tested positive," Burke said.

Burke says it took several days before she got her test results back -- finally, the Health Dept. called her with the news.

"So, the delay of the test results allowed me to wrap my mind around the idea that I did have this. I basically was in my own bedroom, by myself, for 2 weeks away from my daughter and her fiance. My daughter was the one cooking me meals, bringing me everything, and we're gonna continue the social distance. I am out of my room. Thank God."

Huge news out of Utah ... where the state Dept. of Health says it has "cleared" Jazz players and staff to leave isolation after 2 players tested positive for coronavirus.

Remember, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were the first two NBA athletes to test positive for COVID-19 roughly 2 weeks ago, prompting the league to postpone the season indefinitely.

The rest of the Utah Jazz team -- including players, coaches and staff -- were all tested and ordered into isolation to try and reduce the chances of exposing anyone else.

But, Friday morning, the Utah Dept. of Health gave the green light to rejoin their families.

"As of today, Friday, March 27, all Utah Jazz players and staff have been cleared by the Utah Department of Health after completing their respective periods of isolation and quarantine following exposure to COVID-19."

"In accordance with CDC and NBA recommendations, all players and staff will continue to practice social distancing while limiting time outside of their homes to essential activities."