Rudy Gobert wished he had taken the coronavirus ‘more seriously’

Rudy Gobert, the first NBA player to be diagnosed with novel coronavirus, said he wished he had taken the virus “more seriously.”

The Utah Jazz All-Star center provided fans with a health update on the NBA Twitter account Sunday and said he’s been feeling a “little better every single day.”

He reminded people to keep washing their hands, stop touching their faces and avoid unnecessary contact with others.

“I wish I would have taken this thing more seriously and I hope everyone else will do so because we can do it together,” Gobert said.

Gobert donated more than $500,000 to assist people affected by the virus and related closures. He is giving $200,000 to part-time employees of the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City whose jobs were affected by the NBA’s decision to suspend its season.

Another $100,000 each is being donated to support coronavirus-related social services in Utah and Oklahoma City and €100,000 (about $111,000) to his home country France, the Utah Jazz announced on Saturday.

Gobert was recently criticized for a prank he pulled on members of the media that could have put them at risk of contracting the illness.

As Gobert was leaving a media event on March 9, before he was diagnosed with coronavirus, he touched every microphone and recorder in front of him in jest.

After his diagnosis, Gobert issued a public apology on Instagram.