Sky C Stefanie Dolson's entire family tested positive for coronavirus: 'It hit us pretty hard'
Chicago Sky center Stefanie Dolson made an appearance on ESPN during the WNBA draft on Friday night, and revealed some incredibly scary news.
Dolson, 28, announced that she and her entire family tested positive for COVID-19 last month, and said that it hit them “pretty hard.” Dolson said her mom was actually hospitalized for four days due to the virus, though the family has now recovered.
“This virus has hit pretty close to home. About a month ago, my whole family and I, we all tested positive for the virus and it hit us pretty hard,” Dolson said on ESPN, via the Chicago Tribune. “My mom, she ended up being admitted into the hospital for about four days. She had severe symptoms, pneumonia. But because of the team of health care workers that was there, she’s home safe now and healthy.
“So I just want to say thank you to all the health care workers out there. What you’re doing is inspirational and amazing, putting your lives at risk for us, and helping the community and the county. I just want to say thank you.”
[ Coronavirus: How the sports world is responding to the pandemic ]
Dolson, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 draft, averaged 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Sky last year, her third season with the team. The New York native returned home to the United States in January after playing the first half of the season with Hebei Win Power in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association, which later suspended its season due to the virus.
“I’m not usually one to be dramatic or scared about sicknesses or dangerous things, but once this virus went to widespread so quickly and hasn’t stopped its momentum, it’s definitely made me a little more scared and cautious about going back [to play in China],” Dolson told the Chicago Sun-Times in January.
There were more than 683,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States as of Friday night, and more than 34,000 deaths attributed to the virus. Illinois had nearly 26,000 cases.
Dolson is the latest professional basketball player in the United States to contract the virus, and at least the second WNBA player to announce she has tested positive.
Los Angeles Sparks guard Sydney Wiese tested positive last month, and detailed her rough experience to even get access to a test. The 24-year-old was playing overseas in Spain during the WNBA offseason this winter, one of the hardest hit countries in the world, but was denied a test twice upon arrival back in the United States.
Several NBA players have tested positive in recent weeks, starting with Utah Jazz veteran Rudy Gobert — whose positive test prompted the league to suspend operations. Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant and Marcus Smart later revealed that they had tested positive, too.
Both the WNBA and NBA have since suspended operations. Neither has a set date to either start or restart their respective seasons.
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