The Los Angeles Lakers reported on March 19 that two unnamed players had tested positive for COVID-19.
The players are anonymous to head coach Frank Vogel, too.
"I don't even know who they are," Vogel told ESPN's Jackie MacMullan (h/t ESPN's Dave McMenamin), "and I'm totally fine with that."
Vogel outlined how he and the Lakers navigated the ordeal to MacMullan:
"It's just, we were not told to be tested. And obviously everybody recognized the shortage of tests and we were only going to do what the local health department told us to do. So, we weren't asked to be tested at that point.
"I reassured my family that I was in good health and obviously, while I had been around those guys, there had been some social distancing guidelines in place, so I felt fine and I also felt confident that a test wasn't needed for me personally. But I think everybody is on a case-by-case basis with that."
Only L.A. players were tested—not coaches and staff—Vogel confirmed on a Thursday conference call.
The Lakers explained in a statement that players were recommended for coronavirus testing by team physicians and public health officials because they were the last team to play the Brooklyn Nets before the NBA's hiatus began on March 12, and four Nets—including Kevin Durant—tested positive.
The Lakers disclosed on Tuesday that the two players have fully recovered after a 14-day isolation.
The Lakers were atop the Western Conference at 49-14 and had clinched their first playoff berth since the 2012-13 campaign.
There is not a plan in place for the NBA to resume the 2019-20 season at this time.
