Skip to content

Vogel: Lakers coaches weren't tested for coronavirus

Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel says neither he nor his staff underwent coronavirus testing despite the team's confirmation last month that two unnamed players contracted COVID-19.

"To my knowledge, the rest of the staff was not tested," Vogel told reporters Thursday, including ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "The only people that were tested upon the news of the Brooklyn Nets' positive test results were our players. That was ... following the lead of our team doctor and the local health officials."

Vogel cited the lack of available tests during the pandemic as a reason why the coaching staff was not required to follow the same protocol as the players.

"It's just, we were not told to be tested," Vogel said. "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."

The Lakers ordered tests for every member of the roster after the Brooklyn Nets announced on March 17 that four players had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Los Angeles had faced Brooklyn a week prior on March 10.

While the Lakers confirmed two positive test results on the roster, those players' identities were not revealed. Then on March 31, the team announced all players were symptom-free after completing the mandated 14-day self-isolation period.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox