Marc Gasol shares COVID-19 experience: ‘It hits you pretty hard’

After missing the previous 9 games, Los Angeles Lakers center Marc Gasol finally returned to action on Thursday, March 25 (Friday, March 26, Manila time) in the Lakers’ 109-101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Gasol, whose inside presence is badly needed by the Lakers as they are playing without superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, finished with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 15 minutes of action.

Following the team’s fourth straight loss, the 36-year-old Gasol confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19, which kept him out of action for almost a month. 

“It got me pretty good for 5-6 days. I was down, I couldn’t move much,” said Gasol.

“The body aches, the fever and all that, it’s manageable, but the headaches and difficulty to breathe were definitely to me, the worst symptoms,” he added.

Gasol, who is slowly getting his smell and taste back, emphasized how serious it was, as the virus had spread around his household as well.

“It’s serious. It’s not only about you and how you could deal with it, it’s who you pass it on to. Sadly, it went around the house too,” said Gasol, who shared that he worried about his family’s safety the most.

He also stressed that even though he strictly follows the protocols every day, a person could still get infected with the virus.

“First couple of days, it didn’t really affect me yet, I didn’t have any symptoms… and then when it hits you, it hits you really hard,” he added.

The one-time NBA champion Gasol, though, noted that he felt better than expected in his return, and he is likely to see action once again on Saturday, Manila time, when the Lakers face the Cleveland Cavaliers. – Rappler.com