Immanuel Quickley’s time on the U.S. Select team is over.
U.S. Olympic coach Gregg Popovich said three Select players tested positive for COVID-19 but declined to name names; ESPN’s Brian Windhorst identified the players as Quickley, PJ Washington and Miles Bridges.
The Select team was to finish its practices against the Olympians on Friday. Quickley was not permitted to practice Thursday. Quickley is known to have received at least one vaccination shot. He was part of a public service announcement the Knicks put out in which they showed him getting a shot.
Popovich said the news shows players and the rest of the world still need to be safe, but downplayed the positive tests as affecting the Olympic team. Tokyo is not allowing fans at the Olympics, it was announced Thursday.
“I think we all know this thing isn’t over yet,” Popovich said. “That goes without saying. Everyone still has to be vigilant and careful. It’s true three players came up positive. It’s confined to that.”
Quickley was having a terrific experience until it was cut short.
“When I was selected to the Select team I was really excited, really grateful,” Quickley said from Vegas on a Zoom call Wednesday before he knew of the test result. “Just to get to pick people’s brains, like talking to Kevin Durant today. Just being around the best pros and best basketball players in the world is a great experience.”
Fellow Select team member and Knicks teammate Obi Toppin has been hanging out with Quickley, but Toppin practiced Thursday.
