Curry says he was 1st NBA player tested for coronavirus

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry revealed Thursday that he was the first NBA player to be tested for the coronavirus.

Curry says he was tested March 6, the day after he made his long-awaited return from a broken hand in a loss to the Toronto Raptors.

"That's when it all became very real," he wrote in a personal essay for TIME. "I had just played my first basketball game in months the night before, and conversations were swirling about what this virus might mean for the league.

"That night, I started to feel sick. The fever set in. First at 100. Then 101. My first thought was, 'What are the chances? Could this really happen?'"

Curry missed a total of 58 games before competing against Toronto but didn't play another game after. The illness, which was later diagnosed as the seasonal flu, caused him to miss Golden State's following two games against the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers.

The NBA season was then suspended indefinitely after Rudy Gobert became the first player to test positive for COVID-19.

Curry admits he was shaken after being tested for the coronavirus but now wants to use the opportunity to help those less fortunate.

"Thankfully, my test came back negative. But that experience hit me, and it hit me hard," he wrote. "I'm fortunate to have the job I do, and not have to worry about all the many things crippling families across the country during this pandemic: unemployment, hunger, housing.

"How couldn't I use all of my resources and the full power of the platform my wife and I have built to help those desperately in need during this time? We have a responsibility to one another."